Bounty and Hunter: The Neraei Segregation
by Dilly89
Summary: 46 years later, after the end of an inter-species war, the mega city Highrell continues to receive uninvited guests, a foreign classed species simply known as the exiles, remnants of the war. Through the eyes of a young hunter girl the hunt is on, as secrets of the Neraei's segregation are uncovered.
1. Acquaintances

**Bounty and Hunter: The Neraei Segregation**

Based on the 3D short by Eugene Chu

-Acquaintances-

_Upper City – Transit Line 16 - 3:02pm_

It was mostly deserted at this time of day; everyone else was going about their work in complete ignorance of the troubles that lay beyond the walls of the Highrell megacity. Their jobs only dealt with matters within the walls, mine were with the outside world. Exiles, as the Hunter Enforcement Agency liked to call them, would always find some creative means of getting into Highrell. And by creative, I mean by murdering, bribing, breaking or smuggling their way into the lower districts of the city. If any of these break-ins were to occur, it was down to me and the rest of the HEA to apprehend the suspects. Although by apprehend, it sometimes meant the shoot-on-sight approach. It's simply quick and clean, with integrity coming first. Some would rather say it was survival that came first, but I like think we're past that. We've got a prosperous city with no wars for 46 years to speak off. The only conflict that I was going to experience any time soon was with a particular exile that managed to get into the lower areas and elude the general authorities and hunters. Now the hunt was on for this stray with a 100,000 z-credits on his head. His name, was LenZ.

Waiting at the underground train station platform, for the next one to arrive, I quietly was assessing how to catch my bounty. LenZ was sighted escaping a warehouse raid that took place by the canals, one that I took part in. It was rather unfortunate the way things went; I remember getting slammed in the gut by a random exile. Though next thing I know, I see someone else's grey furred arm around the gut puncher's neck with his other hand pounding the exile's ribs in. Sure glad that happened, otherwise I'd probably be settling with a bit more than just a bruise. Hmm, grey fur . . .

Out of a strange thought, I pulled out my small tablet phone from under my orange sleeveless, turtle neck top, and brought up an image of LenZ. He looks familiar to the warehouse rib puncher, though going by memory; it was hard to see the person in that dim dump of a warehouse. I'm not sure if it was him, but if it was, then that would mean a now wanted exile was the one who saved me. Is there even a shred of light to that? I doubt it, what criminal would risk they own fur to save their hunter. Oh, lights.

A train was pulling in. Tucking away my tablet, leaving a gloved hand slouched on my loaded pistol, the train pulled up to a halt before me; no one seemed to be on board. The doors slid open, I walked in, and then I was on my way. Around 3pm is when people are still out working, but by about 4:30, they would be out and about, which would certainly make any chance of catching him difficult. I have to meet up at the tower square, along with Tanan and some extra backup to aid with the city sweep. I stared blankly out of the train at the fast moving tunnel wall, flicking my furred ears about. I started to think back, those few years ago, when I was just a young rookie in the hunter ranks. I'm still relatively young, even now, but more than ever, carrying out my job to protect others, it always gives me a real sense of perspective, about how people work, why criminals are criminals in the first place. Admittedly, just the rush and feeling that also comes with nailing a head to the ground to deliver restraints upon, got to say, beats having to deliver ink to paper for university exams. . . which I have to repeat. Damn the luck.

Passing by another station and into blackness again . . . wait, what was that? My ears pricked up at a distinct rustle, a loud, fast, crumple of paper. Peering to my right, I could see one of LenZ's wanted posters floating to the floor. It was clearly ripped of a nearby billboard, but no one was to be seen who could've touched that poster. I shook my head in dismissal and resumed staring out the window and at the reflections . . . wait? Reflections? There was someone else behind me, moving slowly and very quietly too. From my current angle of the reflection, I could see the person had a grey cloth over him, grey hair with yellow stripes that were flopped down in a messy spiked fashion, drooped grey ears with a single gold piercing and some wire glasses . . . just like LenZ! Without any further hesitation, I grabbed my pistol with a spin and let of a warning shot, which narrowly missed his head, smashing through one of the train windows.

The grey clothed person flicked his hands over his head in sudden shock. Now in full view, I could see his full physical features. He had a tail tipped with white wrapped with a blue band, a double jointed pair of legs and where any of his skin was exposed, it was covered in grey fur. This was definitely an exile. With a very nervous, quick movement of his head, he turned to face me with a look of stupor on his face, giving me a dumb smile. It was him! Gun poised, and the exile staring, what now?

_4 days ago – Lower City - En route to Tenmenon River Warehouse – 11:39pm_

"Alright, here's our outing for tonight folks. A group of exiles have been sighted; about a dozen or so, within the vicinity of a materials storage warehouse just down by the Tenmenon River. Our offence will be simple, this unit will take the back entrance, the other police forces will take the front and flush em our way. Any questions?"  
Everyone looked to have their silent game faces on, no one responded.  
Tanan looked to his watch, and then back to his pulse rifle nestled in his lap. His trimmed fiery red hair, his high brown ears, and that shoot-to-kill leader look that was riding on his face that was always with him on every call to duty. As a reminder of his long service, he was previously given a robotic shoulder replacement on his right.  
"30 seconds."  
I checked my pistol; safety off, mag loaded and charged to fire. I turned to my friend, Nina who was loading up likewise. The van we were riding in, along with Tanan and 4 other hunters, was starting to knock us around a bit. We seemed to have had exited off the main roads onto some dirt path. We were close.  
"10 seconds, get ready!"  
"All good," I motioned to Nina, holding my pistol upright, as everyone else was beginning to line up to face the doors.  
Nina turned her head and nodded.  
At that moment, with Tanan's hand firmly on the door latches, the van came to a jerked stop. The doors slammed open. Tanan leapt out first with a sprint, followed by Nina and myself plus the rest of the hunters. The area which we were quickly and quietly occupying had the distinct aroma of wood coming from the neighboring storage racks and the smell of the nearby river. But along with the old, there also came the sound of cycling hydraulics, coming from a giant magnetic crane, just seen at the end of the warehouse, where part of the roof was open to move various goods into storage within. The whole thing was on rails which were suspended above the entire length of the warehouse, for the crane to access through any of the many roof hatches.

While Nina and I crept to a large metallic door which had a passkey connected, Tanan seemed to be silently directing two of the hunters to find a way up onto the crane, to slip onto the roof. Laiden with long range rifles, they would have no problem covering the warehouse floor inside.  
"What's the passkey on this thing, I can't exactly kick down the doors," Nina whispered.  
I turned from Nina to face Tanan who was joining us, crouched low.  
"It should be 2781, but don't type it yet, the police haven't arrived."  
"How long?" I asked.  
"Bout 2 minutes."  
Seems like the police were taking their time in mobilizing, a larger group would mean a slower response. Still, least this will give us some time to look around the area. Just a few steps along the wall brought me to a dirt stained window. I could see a whisper of light coming from within. Cautiously lifting my head, I could just make out the shapes of two people, or rather, exiles, with their distinctive tails and legs. They were both sitting by a wall of stacked crates, next to a small electric lamp. One appeared to have quite some bulk to his size then the other. The smaller of the two seemed to be busy with his hands, using some small utensils to sharpen something. Whatever it was, it seemed to require quite a bit of concentration and precision to work. I pressed an ear to the window to see if I could hear anything.

". . . would be nice, but that's just not how things are. You think idling into the city, and lodging a complaint is really all that's going to take?"  
The bulky guy sounded agitated, but the other was remaining calm, busy with his craft.  
"Hmmm, you have a curious concept about what simple is, don't you? To run in, with a handful of people, to go against, a whole city."  
"Bah, well, at least we'll be doing something; rather than sitting on our backsides whilst our children get snatched away!"  
"It might be, "something", but in "simple" terms, is it the good something or bad something?"  
"The sooner we get at these bastards, the sooner we can stop them, doesn't that sound good enough?"  
There was a short silence that hung between the two, followed by a disgruntled kick into the nearby crate stacks.  
". . . Like talking to a wall."  
It was only at this stage, the cool headed exile decided to give a small glance.  
"Well, if it makes you feel any better, both our plans are high risk, no matter how we spin it, so you could say that neither of our plans are particularly good."  
"Huh, great, I feel better already," said the sarcastic bulk guy.  
"You're welcome . . . hm, what was that?"

Quickly, I ducked my head below the window seal. Damn it, did they spot me? A few moments passed, while I was bracing to retaliate, just in case. Nothing happened . . . at least on their side, Tanan seemed to be listening intently on a headset. It looks like the cops had finally decided to rock up.  
"Ok, are we all in position, roof team?"  
A short, faint radio buzz came from his ear piece.  
"Alright, hunters are a launch, we await your mark."  
Putting away the headset, it was time to go.  
"Nina, type the code in, get ready to hit that enter key."  
"Ok . . . 2 . . . 8 . . . 7 . . . 1."  
With the sequence in place, we were now just seconds away from going in. I took my chance to take one last peek inside the warehouse. The bulk was still there, but the crafter had moved off elsewhere. Suddenly there was a flash in the distance, some small explosive blew somewhere in the background. Police using C4 to blow down the doors no doubt.  
"Ok go go go, all in!"  
Nina's fist met the enter key, and the door slid open to the side. All the silence that once was present was now replaced by the uproar of surprise coming from the rushed exiles. Once inside, Tanan and Nina split up among the lines of racks and crates, I followed suit. Just keep moving and check your corners I constantly reminded myself. My adrenaline kicked into high gear, when my first target was in sight. She turned in fright and put her hands in the air.  
"Agh, don't shoot!" she screamed.  
"Get your knees on the ground, hands on your head."  
"Ok ok!"  
A few gun shots now could be heard, along with some cries off pain that seemed to only scare the female exile even more. Quickly turning to my left, I realized another exile was coming at me, and this one didn't seem particularly scared versus having rage on his face. He had a metal pipe in his hands, and was going for a swing at my head. Doing a short roll, easily avoiding the clumsy swing and miss into an iron beam, I then steadied my aim, and shot the exile in the torso. His body fell limp to the ground, right in front of the now mortified female. I turned to her.  
"Stay here."  
She nodded with tears now running down her furred face.

Continuing deeper into the warehouse, I reached the place where the first pair of exiles I sighted earlier, were seated. The others had now fanned out to cover the entire length of the place, better watch this spot, just in case of any passer bys. Looking to where the crafter was sitting, I could now see what it was he was using; it was a small filer which was sitting next to a rough glass oval, almost like a lens. I briefly picked it up, examining its shape and reflection, before turning my attention back to the . . . what the, what the hell happened to the lights! Damn, I can't see a thing! I could hear Tanan shouting in the distance.  
"Someone get those cursed lights back on, they're escaping!"  
Light, light, light, I need light . . . ah wait, the electric lamp. It lay knocked, face down on the floor. I picked it up and shone it round, surveying the blackened warehouse. I paused for a moment listening to my surroundings. The gun fire was dying down, and the number of shouts was dropping. All in all, it looks like we got them all, aside from any that managed to escape when the lights went down.  
"I got you now you hunting brute!"  
What? Gah my hand! Someone knocked the light out of my hand. In a blur and flash of light, I took a shot at the momentary figure I saw from the spinning light. I clearly missed, as I next received a heavy fist to the gut, my pistol snatched from my hand. Lying on the floor, my back against the crate wall, my pistol came into view again, pointed at my face within the rays of light coming from the lamp.  
"I'll make sure you never touch our people again!"  
That voice, sounds just like that bulk, though I can't make out his face. He shoved the pistol right onto my forehead into the crate wall. I could feel the heat coming off the nozzle after having been fired. Pretty soon, it was going to fire again, and then . . . that is it.  
"Argh, hey! What's the big idea!?"  
Someone else seemed to had shoved the bulk's hand with my pistol, into the crate wall. The pistol fell out of his pained hand.  
"I can't let you do that, you'll ruin my plan."  
This voice, it sounds like that crafter.  
"Screw your plan, you don't give a damn about mine, so I won't hughhg!"  
Occasionally passing into the rays of the lamp, I could make out some of the details of the two, while they were in some kind of struggle. The crafter had one grey arm around bulk's neck, and the other was continuously smashing into his side, no doubt breaking a few ribs. Eventually, the crafter, grasping by the hair of the bulk, pushed his head into the crate wall, sending him unconscious and landing in front.  
"Please don't follow me," the crafter said from the darkness.  
And with that, he took off, leaving me with my pistol and an unconscious exile. I got to my feet picking up my gun. Oof, damn it, it still hurts, that was a hefty punch that still was leaving me breathless, not to mention being on the verge of death. Sweat was running down my face and . . . footsteps! Retorting my gun in the direction of the new sound that was coming around, I saw Nina.  
"Oh jeez, easy there, it's just me."  
Letting off a frustrated sigh of relief, I lowered my gun.  
"Woah, that's quite the catch there. Hey, you alright?"  
I was lost for words for a second, I just had a gun pointed to my head, and now Nina was assuming that I took on this giant on my own. Not sure if I should be taking credit. After all, that other exile, he was the one who stopped that wall of muscles. And now he was gone, escaped.

_Present Day - Upper city – En route from Transit Line 16 – 3:14pm_

Now that I was seeing him in the flesh, the connection between the poster description provided in the days following LenZ's escape and what little I saw of the crafter back in the warehouse, they had to be one and the same. The dimension's of this LenZ, his height and build namely, I could strongly say matched with that of the warehouse and therefore the wanted poster. There's always more to go on and to connect when you have a feeling of something that's actually right there in front of you, rather than just a picture. In which case, for saving me 4 days ago, but in also being an exile, I at least should bring him in alive. No wait, that shouldn't be the reason why, I should bring him in alive because of what he is planning, what he might still be planning in conjunction with the rest of his kind. Killing him is not an option.

Besides, in where we were, there would be little chance of getting out and off this train. I snapped to aligning my sights up with him, but in sudden flurry, he removed his grey cloth that he was wearing and flew it into my face, blocking my line of sight. Damn it, he's not getting away again this time. LenZ was making a dash to the next carriage door, and so was I! He hurriedly pulled the door aside, stumbling his way in, as I fired another shot which was aimed at the door. He's still not stopping! Shots don't seem to deter this guy at all, he's gaining distance. Augh, sunlight in my eyes, we must've just left the tunnel section of this track. I've got no time to be blinded; I'm running out of options to slow this guy down! I'll just have to hope that charging an electrical pulse will force him to his senses. Flicking the mode switch, coils were revealed at the front of my pistol, which were beginning to glow blue. If anything, he better be scared of this. A high pitch sound was beginning to emanate from the charging pistol, and sure enough he turned around in realization of what I was doing. I've got you . . . wait, what the hell! LenZ had turned around, but now he was charging right at me on all fours. He somehow must know that I can't use my weapon like this in close quarters. If I do, I could end up blowing myself up. But regardless, I'll have discharge this soon, or else I'll definitely blow myself up if he makes a grab for it; too late to just let it cycle down now. Jerking the trigger I let loose the charged fury of my pistol, sending a dazzling bolt of red electricity, arcing in a straight line, straight for LenZ. But with the spring in his legs that he already had going, he sprung with a flip, narrowly avoiding the frying beam. The arcs continued to travel down the train until they exploded at the back of the train carriage, which took out all the windows and a large portion of the walls and roof. Debris and smog went everywhere. But none of that lingered for too long, as the fast moving air relative to the train was starting to suck it all out. And not just the smoke, even I was beginning to get pulled out too, along with LenZ who was barely hanging onto one of the train bars. His grip eventually slipped and he was tumbling backwards towards the hole. But just before falling out of the train, he managed to get into a rough position amidst his tumble, so that he could spring his way upwards through the smoke and hole and onto the train's roof. I have to go after him, he can't escape on me! Steadying myself against the wind's pull, I slid my way closer to the breach in the train. Cugh, this smoke is making me choke, I have to get clear. With a push off with my legs, I allowed the wind to carry me up so that I could grab hold of the roof's edge. Good thing I was wearing gloves, otherwise I'd probably cut my hands on the exploded metal's edge. Eventually, I pulled myself up on top of the train, and there, laid LenZ, covered in soot, and battered, with one of his glass lenses cracked in their wire frame.

Ha, standing above a moving train after blowing a hole, in pursuit of a very evasive exile. I doubt things could get any crazier than that, I finally had him, there'd be nowhere else for him to run or duck behind. LenZ sat there for a moment with a look of accepting defeat, when suddenly his face changed to that of worry, no, fear! He was peering past me, was there something behind me, or was this some dumb trick he was playing at? Wait, this transit line leads through a set of tunnels and open city, which can only mean . . . I turned around, and to my equal terror, the next tunnel was fast approaching. I was going to get blunted in the head by a tunnel overhead if I didn't do something! With little hope of making it back through the train hole again, I tried to see if I could make it by lying as low as I could. I closed my eyes, and braced myself for what could be the end, yet again. Seconds slowly past, and in every one of those, I tried to guess when the tunnel was going to arrive. But what I didn't guess was that I'd feel a sensation of something going around my waist and . . . flying? There was some kind of acceleration upwards, as my stomach and legs were jerked from being seated. A sudden stop soon followed, accompanied by a metal clang above my head. The noise of the train now seemed to be dying down slowly, as though it was moving away. Adding all this up, whatever happened, I was still alive, with something firmly gripping my left wrist. I forced my eyes open, and I realized that I was dangling in midair, and that above me, the thing that was keeping me from falling, was the hand of LenZ. He must've grabbed me, lept off the train, and reached what appeared to be a viewing platform, which was just nearby the tunnel. With a strained grunt, he started to haul me up. He saved me?! Again?! Looks like I was wrong when I thought he couldn't jump off the train, and about how things just couldn't get any crazier.


	2. Savior

-Savior-

I was now faced with two equaling confronting facts, on the one hand; this was an exile that saved my life, twice for that matter back at the warehouse. He could've chosen to leave me alone, so I could get shot or splattered all over by a train, and yet, he chose, to save me, risking his own life. However on the other hand, he was, and still is, a wanted exile by law, and he should've known that it was wrong to gain entrance into Highrell in the first place. Although, hadn't he done so, he wouldn't have been there to save me first time round. No wait, that isn't necessarily true, anything could've happened, with or without him, for me to get myself out of that situation. But again, really, I was about to give up then and there wasn't I? I have no idea what I should be thinking. Should I be thanking an exile? Should I think only think about the neraei decency of the situation? I just don't have a clue!

Seating myself on the metal grating, I found myself speechless towards LenZ who was sitting right next me. He sure looked equally as tired as I was, just as much as how he was covered in soot. I stared at him for a moment, thinking about . . . my pistol oh damn, I lost it, in the flurry; I must've lost my grip when I was launched off the top of the train. It could be anywhere now, anywhere but here. Things could get difficult if I'm going to attempt to bring him in. Still could I try to jump him somehow? No, bad idea, we're on top of a high rise platform, I could be at the bottom in a far worse state then I currently am if I decide to get into a struggle. Hang on, if he's the sort of exile who's willing to save neraei, one who respects life, perhaps it's just a simple matter of talking to him without the need for force. Perhaps he's the sort I could gain my trust with. I haven't exactly got any better ideas or a weapon. It can't hurt to thank him, if it's for my sake as well as his.

After a few more moments, LenZ finally noticed that I was staring at him. He gave a quick glance and seemed to panic for a moment when he turned away and threw up his hands, in the expectance of receiving a fist. What a timid exile this one was. I averted my gaze for second and tried to think of something to say. But then a simple thought crossed my mind to just give this guy a quick peck on the ear, it was probably the only thing I could do rather than speak. So without delay, that's what I did. LenZ seemed to receive it well, and by that, he seemed quite surprised.  
"Um, you're welcome," he replied lightly.  
Ok, he didn't try anything rash. I think I just need to look at this with a calm demeanor, clearly he's smarter then he looks. I should try asking a few questions, one of which, I obviously want answered.  
"Why did you save me?"  
He stared at me with blank look for a moment.  
"Well, why not?"  
"Because you're an exile, exiles just don't go to lengths to save their hunter."  
He frowned.  
"That seems like a narrow way of looking at it, do you go about viewing everyone as a stereotype?"  
"No, of course not . . ."  
I reached a mental block in my reasoning. This was just getting more confusing. LenZ let of a sigh.  
"Oh, my glasses."  
He turned his attention back to his broken left lens. Taking his glasses off, he began tapping the broken glass out of their socket. He then went to reach for something in his pants pocket. I tensed up.  
"It's alright," he reassured, as he slowly reached in.  
He pulled out a small leather case and a filer. Opening the case, it revealed a glass lens wrapped in cloth. He took hold of the lens with care, and proceeded to fit it in place of the empty glass socket. His handling and delicate articulation, that was yet another reminder of that time from the warehouse. Which reminds me . . .  
"Back at the warehouse in the lower areas, were you the one that saved me from being shot in the head?  
He peered up at me for a moment before quickly returning to fixing the new lens in.  
"Yes."  
"Why?"  
"Why not?"  
"Don't give me that again, I remember, you said that it would ruin your plan if I was killed. Whatever it is, is that really why you saved me again, here and now? Do you honestly expect me to believe that you're some, charitable exile?"  
"No, of course not, but it would help. Anyway . . ."  
LenZ clicked the screws on the lens, locking it in place. He slid the glasses back on, and moved his eyes around to test the focus.  
". . . Good as new."  
He smiled, revealing some small fangs.  
"Just answer my question damn it."  
His cool expression still remained as he finally came to my full attention.  
"Would you believe me if I did, just the fact I rescued you, seems hard enough for you to process?"  
"You calling me an idiot?"  
"I didn't say that."  
Mental block, again. He's not just smart, he's a clever annoyance, I'll give an exile that.  
"But, if you must know, I saved you, because otherwise it would ruin my chances of getting information through. That, as well as simple decency like I already said before."  
"What sort of information?"  
"That part, I'd rather explain to your officials, at any rate it looks as though this is as high as I'm going to reach."  
"What, you're turning yourself in now, after being on the run?"  
"Well, it would've been better if I met a high end leader or something, someone as high as possible that would get my message through."  
Given how LenZ managed to get into upper city, can't say how that wouldn't be possible.  
"But . . . you've caught me now, so there's not much else I can say about it, is there?"  
"No, not really, except that you could still try and run away."  
LenZ was looking at me strangely before turning back to face the city view.  
"You think I could try to overpower you and escape, don't you?"  
". . . I suppose, yes."  
"Well, if I escape, in any case, they'll still know about the train and lock down this section of the city, and you will help to enforce that, dead or alive. And so probably by then, they'll definitely shoot me on sight, and I'm quite content at the moment to stay alive. Sound about right?"  
Somehow, he is right. The lower or middle areas of the city, aren't exactly designed to be locked down, they are more basic in their functionality. But for the upper city areas, its functionality was essentially designed to have security in mind. For the more important areas of the city, advanced security would be in place and active within minutes if some kind of threat arose. It wouldn't just be hunters and police; they'd be drones and steel bulkheads to contend with too. But still, how did he guess?  
"Yes, how did you know about that?"  
"I did get some warn . . ."  
At that moment, LenZ was cut off by the ringing of my tablet phone.  
". . .Go ahead, it's alright, answer it."  
I looked at him for a moment, those yellow eyes staring back at me. I got to my feet, and leaned against the metal spire behind me. Then pulling my phone out from under my top, I could only guess who it was. It was Tanan.

I answered.  
"Hello?"  
"Hey, what's happening on your end, I heard reports of an explosion on the transit 16. You in the area?"  
This was going to be interesting to explain.  
"Yes sir, I was."  
"Mind telling me what happened?"  
"Urm . . ."  
I looked back at LenZ, he nodded at me to continue.  
"Well, the explosion on the train was related to that exile that we're currently searching for, LenZ. He was there."  
". . . You are joking? Him? In Upper city?  
"That's correct."  
"Damn this exile, I figured he might've snuck into the middle sector but not this far, and now he's blown up a train?"  
"Well, not exactly, you see, I was the one who sighted LenZ myself, and engaged. I tried to use my charge on him, but it missed and hit the train instead."  
"Wait, were you and him on the train?"  
"Yes."  
"Did he elude you again?"  
". . . No, he's sitting right next to me."  
Silence fell on the line. LenZ at this point stood up to approach me.  
"Could you switch on the speaker phone for a moment please?"  
I did as he asked; he stood next to me at his full height, placing him slightly taller than me on his double jointed legs. I held the phone near him.  
"I'm here, this is LenZ."  
". . . You . . . you've got a lot of nerve to think that you can make it into the upper city to hold one of my hunter's as hostage!"  
"On the contrary, I'm not here to ask for some pointless ransom, in fact, I want to come in. Your fellow hunter here is the one who's going to escort me to your headquarters. My only wish is that I be allowed to share with you and the rest of your colleagues some vital information; it concerns the possible involvement of your group operating outside your walls."  
"Is that so? I find that hard to believe, considering your status thus far, I have no reason to trust your words exile, why in neraei's name should I believe you?"  
LenZ peered up at me and motioned to fill in the gap in Tanan's reasoning.  
"He saved me, sir, twice for that matter."  
". . . Bullshit, that's insane, no sane exile would ever do that. You're lying LenZ, you've got a gun to her head there or something?"  
"No, of course not."  
"Tanan, I'm fine, really, I'm not in any immediate danger at the moment, hang on. . ."  
I switched my phone to transmit as a video call through its camera. I panned the phone around to face LenZ, then back to myself.  
"Now sir, I'll take him in, on the account he did save me from being killed and that he has cooperated, I'll meet you at the Rosenvale Botanic Garden in 15 minutes."  
I could now see his face through his phone, he had a look of worry. Just vaguely, behind him, I could see Nina was being suspicious about what was going on. Tanan let off a sigh.  
"Make sure you have him restrained, we'll meet you there as soon as we can, LenZ, you've got quite a bit of talking to do before I find a suitable penalty for you."  
"Indeed," LenZ calmly said.  
"See you both there."  
The call seized.  
"Well, you've got what you wanted now," I remarked.  
"I'm glad."  
I slipped the phone away, and pulled out some restraining cords.  
"Turn around."  
LenZ slowly turned around, but in doing so, it revealed a bloodied gash on his back, staining his blue shirt. It might've been some of that shrapnel off from the train that nicked him. I grabbed his wrists and snapped on the restraints behind his back.  
"Looks like that hurts," I said pointing to his wound.  
"I'll live, its fine."  
He tensed his shoulders for a moment.  
"Well, let's go."  
LenZ nodded in response. I pushed him forward, and began holding him by the wrists, walking him off the platform onto the main stony walk way. We were approaching by some of the residences which resided upon this giant neraei made, stone pillar. This certainly would be a nice place to live for city views 24/7, minus the rumble of trains passing below. Oh dear, this could be a problem. There were locals in this area who were out and about. They started to turn around and give angry annoyed looks at the exile I was handling.  
"Nothing to see here people," I sternly warned.  
Most of the locals kept their distance just from the fear of seeing an exile, but one of the onlookers decided to take a step forward to spit on the ground by LenZ. She then took notice of the wound that was on Lenz's back.  
"I hope you bleed out before you reach your cell!"  
LenZ remained quiet as we continued to pass by. He only bothered to take notice of a child who was watching him on in shear curiosity, before he was snatched away by the agitated parent spitter.

Eventually we had cleared the mob and made it to the pillar's elevator. There was one that was available out the five that were already in use. We walked in, but other people who also wanted get in, decided to change their minds when they saw the exile I was escorting. We were left alone inside as the doors closed behind us. I pressed the ground floor button, and then we began our descent down the side of the pillar. It was quite a wondrous view we had, with the city landscape before us and the sun setting just outside of the viewing window. I could just see below me a glass dome and a park that surrounded the structure. We were getting close to the botanic garden.  
"One question, back at the warehouse, who was the other exile who grabbed my gun?" I asked.  
". . . Oh, him, he was a hunk of idiocy, that's all I can really say, he goes by the name Kraun. He only had one reason of coming into Highrell, and that was to kill those who may have been responsible for the kidnappings. He has a false sense of justice and probably the only reason why he came here was just to create as much terror as possible."  
"What kidnappings exactly?"  
LenZ faced me for a second with a grimace on his face.  
". . . Children, adults, in broad daylight they've been disappearing for at least 4 months now. It's been creating a great deal of tension over all our settlements. I for one came to Highrell to investigate these happenings. I only travelled with Kraun and some of the others because they knew how to gain access to this city."  
"So you're obviously not part of Kraun's group huh?"  
LenZ shook his head.  
"No."  
". . . Hmmm."  
"He chose to threaten my plan by threatening the inhabitants of this city, namely you. He basically believes the people, are guilty, until proven innocent in the kidnappings."  
"And you believe vice versa?"  
"Yes."  
Thus far, LenZ had proven himself to be different from most exiles that normally tried to enter Highrell. Honesty; that was something that was rarely seen, and yet here, he clearly displays that very quality in what he's done thus far. By turning himself in like this, it certainly proves a point, unless he's going to pull some kind of trick. No hang on, why am I saying the word trick, trick only applies to stereotypical exiles that come in and try to lie their way through. LenZ isn't stereotypical and he's no liar, his story of some kidnapping occurrences, matches with that conversation he was a part off, back at warehouse when I was eavesdropping.  
"I'll explain the rest of my story as soon as we arrive at, your station, right?"  
"Headquarters."

We were arriving now on the ground floor, the street levels. The doors opened and we began walking down the clean streets, surrounded by the skyscrapers of stone, steel and glass. More stares met us as we continued on our way towards the gardens. It would seem best if we just stuck to the side streets and alley ways as much as we could, last thing I needed was to get into another conflict. We travelled through the darkened routes and rounded a few more corners until we eventually reached the green expanse of the park within the setting light of the sun. In the distance stood the shining glass dome, encasing the many sorts of colourful exotic flora. LenZ gave a smile.  
"Reminds me of home."  
We next crossed a bridge over a small stream and followed the gravel paths which winded their way towards the looming dome. Behind some of the bushes, I could just make out 2 HEA vans parked at the base of the dome, along with a number of hunters. Coming up to the group, Nina and Tanan were waiting. The other hunters wearing their own casual dress placed their hands over their respective pistols and automatics as we approached. Nina came out first to greet us. She said nothing to LenZ, nothing but a glare and then she turned to me.  
"I'll take him from here." Nina said, offering to switch holding onto the exile.  
"Thanks."  
Trading places with Nina, I guess it was time for some kind of debriefing by the boss. Tanan walked forward as Nina was slowly walking LenZ into one of the vans.  
"Well, good work, I'm glad this situation has been sorted as soon as it has."  
"Thanks, sir."  
"Probably going to have to explain why you blew part of a train up, there better have been no fatalities."  
"There wasn't, I made sure that there was no one else in the way. It was just us on the train, no one else."  
"Good, having replaceable trains are far better than irreplaceable neraei."  
He turned his head around towards the rest of the shuffling hunters.  
"Alright, we're packing up, return to HQ."  
Everyone else now was clambering back into the vans. Tanan turned back to me.  
"When we get back, get that soot cleaned off. You'll probably want to look nice as a class 3 hunter."  
I let off a small grin. After almost being run under a tunnel, this was probably the best news I could hear. Although, I'll probably have to thank LenZ for that, for getting me here to hear this.  
"For someone as relatively new as yourself, who's risked their life to uphold the law, you sure as hell deserve it."  
"Thank you, sir."  
It now was time for us to leave, I headed for the van LenZ was contained in.  
"And just as well you're promoted, you'll need another firearm."  
I nodded with a smile on my face as I hopped aboard, Tanan boarded the other van. Sitting down, I was facing LenZ along with Nina beside him. Doors shut; we began to drive down the gravel. I began thinking next about how I was entitled to that 100,000 z-credit bounty, what was I going to do with that much money I wonder? Out of my catches thus far, this would be a personal record.  
"You know, I never bothered to ask, If I may. . ."  
"Quiet," Nina cut in.  
"About what?" I asked.  
Nina took on a slight expression of surprise in me wanting to hear what an exile had to say.  
"What's your name?" asked LenZ.  
I was silent for a moment in the trundling van. If there was anything that I owed him, in saving me, I suppose at the very least, I could give a name.  
". . . It's Kyu."


	3. Outskirts

-Outskirts-

It was about 20 minutes on the road, and in all that time, LenZ continued his bowed head of silence. Though notably, he seemed to be clutching his wound on his back every now and again. It looked as though he was in silent pain, as well as exhausted. Eventually we reached the HEA headquarters. I opened the van doors and hopped out.  
"Alright, out you come."  
LenZ got to his paws. He had to steady himself with a pained grunt as he landed on the footpath, right outside the two story building. Looks like he's going to need some help getting up some of those stairs. His wound stain on the back of his shirt seemed a bit larger now. Though despite his obvious need for some assistance, LenZ still braved the short climb up the steps by himself, limping his way to the top. I closely followed him up along with everyone else. We were now at the glazed doors with the HEA insignia emblazoned upon. The insignia itself had the HEA letters in bold, sitting on the string of an old crossbow pointed downwards. Crossbow bolts were spread out in a fan as a background for the top half of the lettering. Tanan stepped by me and opened the doors. Leading into the building, we entered the main lobby. The rounded space had high ceilings. A single desk stood opposite to the entrance, and around the perimeter, open doors revealed the various routes leading to the various departments of our headquarters.

Continuing further in, we took the door that was first left from the desk. This was the hunter's main floor. Metal desks, chairs, and computers filled the room with a floor plated metal. Case files were stacked everywhere and notices filled boards attached around the edge of the room. All the placements were arranged in a manner so that they all faced the centre where our central hub was. The usual digital blue messages, news and reports continued to circulate slowly around the display. Wide filtered windows were at the far end of the room, showing the city from a hillside perspective, going down. Hunters which were already busy at work, sorting through information about exile breaches and containment briefly gave notice to the latest exile we were bringing in, before returning to their work.  
"Alright, first things first, bring him," said Tanan.

Nina and I followed Tanan, along with LenZ, to enter another hallway as the rest of the following hunters split off to their various desk duties. We were now by one of the interview rooms, room 6.  
"Inside," Tanan beckoned.  
We all piled into the small room and Tanan shut the door behind us with a click of the lock.  
"Now then, let's talk."  
He made a grab for LenZ's shirt and shoved him into a chair by a desk. He let off a yelp as his wound was pushed into the chair's back.  
"I haven't exactly got the time to listen to exile stories; I should be putting you in a cell right now. But whatever compelled you to save Kyu here, twice, supposedly, whatever you are doing here in the first place, and whatever the hell you would turn yourself in for, I want to know why?"  
LenZ adjusted himself in his seat, holding onto his waist.  
"Yeesh, everyone seems to be forgetting the obvious reason why someone would save anyone these days. We're still the same, same species as neraei, same, blood."  
He paused to look at his hand, which actually was partially covered in blood.  
"Where I come from, I refuse to treat anyone less, regardless of what they appear. It's pointless to pretend that discrimination can solve anything."  
"We're not the same; at least we don't go starting wars!"  
He seemed to widen his eyes a little at the last response, but before he could say anything else, he decided to remain silent. It seemed two opposites of the wall weren't going to get anywhere if this interrogation evolved into an ethical debate. Nina stepped forward.  
"LenZ, can you please just tell us why you are here? You saved my friend, and to some extent I have to be grateful for that, I do trust that's what actually happened?" Nina said turning to me.  
"Yes it's true, it was back at the warehouse and on the train, no joke."  
She put a hand on my shoulder.  
"Tell us LenZ, what's your purpose here, you said you had information to share about something, right?"  
He nodded and straightened himself up in his seat.  
"Indeed, it's information that might concern this city."  
"The kidnappings I'm presuming?" I guessed.  
"Yes."  
"What kidnappings?" Tanan asked.  
LenZ slowly shuffled to one side of the chair.  
"If you could, my left pocket."

Nina went over to reach into his pocket. She pulled out something slender and black. She held it up.  
"That's, a pistol magazine?"  
Tanan took a closer look.  
"An empty P52 magazine, to be exact. Where did you get this? These are only manufactured within these walls, standard issue for hunters only."  
"Only for hunters? Hmmm, Interesting," LenZ pondered, "I found that magazine just outside our settlement."  
"What?! Are you trying to imply my hunters are operating beyond the walls, to participate in snatching people? Your people? Really?"  
"Well yes, do your hunters in fact snatch those off our streets?"  
"No! Of course not. Our jurisdiction is quite clear, it ends at the wall. Any activity beyond that would see HEA thrown into a bloody police inquiry."  
"I see."  
"Although the magazine type is the same, hunter magazines aren't coated in black. Hang on, how do I even know that you actually got this from the outside?"  
"You just said so yourself, all your hunters don't carry black magazines, so it must come from somewhere else, and not the police because you said these magazines were hunter exclusive. So where then?"  
"Hmph."  
"You think I just came into this city looking to create trouble?  
"Yes!"  
A pause followed. LenZ let off a sigh.  
"Well then allow me to explain my full story in detail."  
"No, I've heard enough of this, really though why are you here? If you've given us this information, you obviously want something in return."  
"Help, I need to get help to protect my people and friends from what's occurring."  
"Oh, so you're here to beg us. This I'd love to hear, but quite frankly in case you've forgotten, there's a slab of stone 15 meters thick and 40 meters high that extends right round Highrell for a reason. Whatever troubles you have, we obviously don't want to hear about it, as per your segregation."  
". . . Couldn't hurt to try."  
"I'd like to listen," I spoke.  
Tanan who was now at this point getting frustrated eyed me angrily.  
"And why's that?!"  
"Well sir, whatever the case with these kidnappings, the black magazine is what we should be concerned about. If it didn't come from any manufacturer or obviously not from their side, then we could be facing something new, perhaps from within our city. Either way, I don't think we can risk letting a possible crime's group roam free. We need to know more about them, whoever they are."  
Recollecting his composure, Tanan seemed to agree, enough to face LenZ again.  
"Alright fine then, tell us, what is your so called full story?"  
LenZ paused for a moment to collect his thoughts before he began to tell his tale.

" * * * "

_3 months ago - Ralokshin wilderness settlement - 6:53pm_

The sun was setting over the savanna landscape, reflecting over the great lake that lay nearby our homes, another normal day going by as it would seem. I sat on a sandy mound dotted with long grass as I was filing down the rough edges on my magnifying lens. I held it up in the dimming sunlight. There were a few flaws left in its shape, as noted with the slightly distorted light that was passing through onto the ground. But apart from those, the glass work was almost finished.  
"LenZeee!"  
Someone was coming from behind up the mound. I turned to face little Kallen walking up the hill towards me. She was coming out from one of the nearby houses, old and rustic in their years of hospitality. Smoke was appearing from some of the chimneys that stood, no doubt a sign of the occupants having their much anticipated meal. Kallen as she approached had copper fur, small rounded ears over her long hazel hair and wore an old dirt stained trench coat.  
"Hey, is dinner almost ready."  
"Yeah, that and the boys are making some "creative" mess with your tool shed again."  
Oh this again, those kids were ever the curious bunch. All the kids in our home were curious, curious about my craft and how I made such shiny objects that came from the ground. They were yet again trying to unravel an ongoing mystery about glass making, one which I purposely kept from them, just to keep them guessing.  
"Alright, I'll be there."  
She then turned on her springy legs, tail waving high, back towards our house. I gathered my things and soon followed to return to the house of kids. It really was just me, and the rest of the six children that occupied this small house. We were a mixed bunch coming from various stretches of the land; all rolled into one big family. I being the oldest took charge in taking care of them. My craft in being a glass maker basically is what keeps us in the clear when it came to food, regular traders who would pass through town would be our source, in exchange for all manner of glass that I produced. And not very surprisingly, it was quite a reliable business too. It wasn't very common to have people with the necessary skill of producing such items. So, me being the only one for kilometers around, saw all of our needs sustained.

I came to the front of our wooden porch, which had a small collection of glass beads and strips hanging from the roof beam, jingling in the evening breeze. I could hear the sound of metal clanging coming from inside, no doubt the kids giving my metal tools a good ringing. I entered through into the low ceiling hallway and looked into the room on my right, my glass making room. The floor was of concrete, sprinkled with soot leading to the back left of the room where my open furnace was. A shy silky black furred girl named Sophia, sat by the simmering flames of the furnace with hands open to feel its warmth. Sitting next to her with his back to the furnace brick was the brown coloured Lou, who seemed to be practicing at picking up loose coal fragments with the metal pincer tool. The source of the metal clanging noise came from near my workbench to the right. The two boys RyuKoo, who had white with black tipped fur, and Kaden, who was the other gendered twin of Kallen with his copper look, were having a tool dual, pretending that my metal glass clamp and stocker were their swords. Lastly Amuu'lia, who had dark brown fur which melded into a dark blue by her legs, was just standing by as a spectator for the boys silly tool fight, which seized when they caught sight of me looking at the tools strewn about the floor.  
"Uh oh," RyuKoo slowly said.  
"It was all him," spoke Kaden quickly.  
No doubt they were thinking about me getting angry, but I merely stood by the archway smiling at the, I dare say, adorable display.  
"I'm sure it was," I said, "RyuKoo appears to be the more skilled duelist, which would make him the challenger I'm guessing."  
"He he," chuckled Amuu'lia.  
I walked in and began to pick up the tools off the floor.  
"Well, yeah, he started it, but I won," Kaden said, realizing that I was acknowledging the little dual as being legit.  
"What's that supposed to mean?" exclaimed RyuKoo, now eyeing Kaden funnily.  
"Alright come on guys, dinner isn't going to eat itself!" called out Kallen from the next room.  
Everyone began to pile out towards the sweet smell rosemary and chicken, Kallen was indeed a fine cook. I reorganized my tools on the workbench, dusted off what soot I had on my hands and left the room to enter the kitchen with the children piled around the small table. I knelt next to everyone with their waving tails and put my latest glass piece on the table. Kallen came around with the plate and I began to get my fair share of the delicious loot. We all sat quietly, busy at our meals for a few minutes.  
"So, what's that, glass?" Sophia asked, nodding as she ate at the magnifying lens.  
"Ah, good question, you see, this makes things look bigger."  
I picked up the lens, held it in front of my right eye and began moving it backwards and forwards to produce an enlarged eye. Sophia smiled with a fang at the amusing sight I was creating.  
"Can I, have a try?"  
"Yeah sure, careful with the grease."  
I handed the lens to Sophia, she made sure she was handling it on its edge.  
"So Kallen, any traders come in while I was out?"  
"Not really, no, there's still that other buyer, Kraun, he's been asking about the window pane replacement again."  
"Ah right, that pane I should have ready to fit by tomorrow."  
"Ok."

I resumed my meal, until I realized that Kallen had a frown on her face from something.  
"What is it?"  
"I'm just thinking, that Kraun guy has gotta stop having people over at his bar for a fight, this is the third time somebody has busted a window."  
"Well I can't really complain, least we're getting some descent pay."  
"Still. . ."  
There was Kallen again, being the empathetic type. It was a quality that most neraei living in these parts shared. For groups which lay so isolated from one another, in so little a number, it was important that we formed close, families. Everything in town was symbiotic in nature, otherwise we would surely perish.  
"He hasn't been talking to you again, has he, about . . ."  
I took notice of there being children in the room, I didn't exactly want to say harmful stuff in front of them.  
". . . About other things."  
"Are you talking about Kraun being a pervert again?" Lou asked.  
So much for that.  
"No, it's just that Kraun's been a bit rude to Kallen here, that's all. He just needs to know that I don't like that."  
I faced Kallen again.  
"I'll talk to him when I get that pane over."  
"Thanks."  
"Why does he like to be rude?" Lou asked again.  
"Well . . . sometimes he likes to be rude because sometimes he doesn't know how to be nice, it's the way people sometimes are."  
"Will he learn how to be nice?"  
"I suppose so, eventually I could teach him how to be nice."  
"Ohh. . ."  
"You know, we all can teach people a thing or too, not just to be nice. Any one of you children has the power to change the way people go about their days. And likewise they can change you too. Together, we all hold each other's hands as we step forward," I said, holding Lou's hand.  
"Wow, that's a cool story," Sophia said who was looking at me through the magnifying lens with one eye.  
"It's just we have to use our powers the right way," I concluded.  
I seemed to be getting a bit of reception as I noticed the rest of the kids were now watching me. I usually was the story teller around here, if not an idealist, but I believe it helps to stand for something then nothing.

Kallen was smiling.  
"Alright better eat up, don't want the food to get cold," Kallen finally spoke.  
Everyone was now returning to their meals, except for Sophia who was continuing to find new things to look at with the lens. The quiet eating continued for the next few minutes.  
"Argh, what's your . . ! Hey! Get off me! I said get off! Ahh, HELP!"  
My ears pricked at the sound of muffled screams for help, coming from outside, somewhere on the main street. Sophia almost dropped the lens out of fright.  
"Who is that?" RyuKoo asked in worry.  
Whatever it was, if anyone was going to help the person in distress, it had to be now.  
"Just stay here everyone, stay away from the windows," I warned.  
I began to stand up to run for the front door.  
"Hang on, I'm coming with you, Amuu'lia watch everyone!" Kallen commanded.  
I didn't want her to come, but I suppose there was no time to argue. I made a dash for the front and swung the door open, stepping out into the twilight evening. I looked around to listen for the source of the disturbance, there was none. But guessing from where I first heard the cry, it might've come from . . . the alley way! I could see someone's limp legs being dragged out of sight. I ran off the porch and sprinted, closely followed by Kallen. When we skidded to the corner leading into the darkened alley, there, I could just make out the silhouettes of multiple people, quickly moving out of sight, and very fast too.  
"Hey!" Kallen shouted.  
The kidnappers, they paid no attention but only towards the person they had caught. They can't get away! Going to all fours, I began to accelerate down towards them. They moved off out of sight again, to the left! I exited through to the other end side within seconds. Damn it where did they go again? They're gone! All I could hear was sound of shifting dirt, like the sound that wheels against gravel would make. Kallen caught up.  
"Where are they?"  
I stood there unsure which way to go, which way to follow; they seemed to vanish into thin air, which shouldn't have been possible as this alley way opens up to the rest of the savanna outside, the flat clear plains. There still would've been enough light to spot them too, even at this time of day.  
"I don't know," I answered.  
We stood there, saddened that we were too late.  
"God help that woman," Kallen said.  
Gone without a trace, there was nothing to go on . . . although, that sound I last heard, the gritty sound of moving dirt, the sound produced from something rolling its way over; it had to definitely be a vehicle of some kind. In which case, it might've been traders that took her. Few vehicles operated in this settlement, and only for long distance travel between other settlements.  
"Hang on, I'll go check on the kids."  
Concern now had sprung up as to whether the kidnappers had indeed left us alone, they could be doubling back around the town to pick someone else up. We hurried back, and to our relief, everyone in our house was still accounted for, with Amuu'lia keeping a cautious eye outside and everyone else below the window seals. News quickly spread amongst the inhabitants of my town. The kidnappers, they were still out there, and it was a safe bet that they were likely to return.

_2 months ago - Ralokshin wilderness settlement – 12:17pm_

Over the month that passed word had eventually reached us that other settlements were being preyed upon by similar kidnappers as well, weeks before our turn had actually come. The descriptions were always similar, some small noise, the kidnappers would move out and then they would vanish. Sometimes people went missing in broad daylight without a commotion in the first place. It would be only hours afterwards that that they were reported missing. Now mass paranoia was beginning to settle in our town. During this time, people became increasingly cautious of their movements, especially after a further four more people were taken. The town was starting to demand some answers as to what was going on, and why.  
"I'm telling you, it's those arsehole traders, who else would have the vehicles, and who else would know about us?" Kraun exclaimed.  
I was standing in the middle of the street, amongst a few other people who decided to come outside for once, to hold this rough meeting. Kraun, Zoe our resident farmer, Akhil the local mayor of the settlement, and a handful of other residents, Clovis, Rachel, Mike, and Monique, were present.  
"Well we can't know for certain, not until somebody gets an idea of what they or their vehicles look like, and so far, no one has," spoke our mayor.  
"I doubt those kidnappers are traders, there's no way they'd know how to hunt around like that, and I should know, I've been out and about, having to kill livestock predators," stated Zoe.  
"What if they have equipment or something that's aiding their movements? That is what traders get after all," Clovis suggested.  
"What, like rabbit slippers?" Kraun sarcastically joked.  
"No, but, hasn't anyone seen the blur when someone was taken?"  
"What blur?" I asked.  
"Yeah, I have," Monique jumped in, "like just a silhouette, and nothing else?"  
"Exactly," Clovis said sounding surprised, "and I thought I was just seeing things."  
I thought back to that moment in the alley, now that I think about it, it wasn't just the darkness of the alley way that was creating silhouettes, but it was like a clear blur, more than a dark shadow. Still, it seemed inexplicable at the very least, I probably would've been told to clean my glasses if I told Akhil, but these two seem to back up my story.  
"I saw something too, I didn't get a very good view in that alley, "I said, pointing behind me at the very same alley way, "but there was something strange about what I saw, it was as though I was looking at a distorted image."  
"What are we suggesting here?" Akhil said.  
A small cry came from one of the neighboring houses.  
"Oh sorry, that's probably my son trying to reach for some of those biscuits again, hang on!" Mike left calling out at his house.  
Everyone turned to him as he was leaving; Rachel went to tag along with him, just in case if what we were discussing would happen. Escorts seemed to be in order, whenever we had to go somewhere that would normally involve being by ourselves just about.  
"Anyway," Akhill spoke again turning to me.  
I didn't actually know what to suggest, all I could probably say was that the kidnappers were using optical illusions. A word sprang to mind, one that all of us was seemingly afraid to suggest, just by the sounds of how improbable it would be.  
". . . Invisibility, though partial."  
Everyone fell silent. Clovis then spoke.  
"That the only way we can explain this?"  
"Bah, that's ridiculous; really, I doubt even traders would have that kind of technology, let alone the bloomin money to have such a thing."  
"Does such a thing even exist?" Zoe questioned.  
Everyone was turning to me. I was tempted to say, "How should I know?" but that wouldn't really get us anywhere, it was better to go with an improbable theory then none. We were all at this point in the weeks of paranoia, desperate for some kind of explanation. Looks as though that desperation finally won out on all of us, including myself.  
"Well, maybe, I bet you can create such illusions with mirrors."  
"They were carrying mirrors?" Kraun scoffed.  
"I didn't say they did."  
"Nah, I wouldn't think so, if they know how to move around quickly, they wouldn't be lobbing giant mirrors about the place," Zoe pointed out.  
Mike and Rachel came back outside again.  
"So how are they staying invisible?" Monique questioned.  
"Are we dealing with ghosts here?" Rachel asked.  
"Wow, this is starting to sound like the ghost squad from that game," interjected Kraun.  
I was still trying to think of something to rationally add, as the beads by my house were jingling in the noon breeze. Wait, glass beads. Small sizes, hell, I've designed necklaces with glass beads of such size. Maybe it's something to do with that.  
"Hang on, one moment."  
I split off from the group to head back to my house and the beads. I carefully pulled a strand off from the porch beam, brought it back to the group and held it up in my line of sight.  
"It may not be mirrors, but it could be glass beads."  
Everyone was now curious about this possible development; obviously they wanted to know more about my on the spot demonstration.  
"Basically, when you look through glass which isn't shaped flat, what do you see?"  
I held it up to Clovis's line of sight.  
"I don't know, everything looks distorted."  
"Exactly, that's because light is being bent away from the object that you're trying to look at, in this case our kidnappers. Now it's a bit of a leap, but I think they might've been wearing enough of these beads, like a suit, to bend light away from them, probably to the point where even light hitting them dead on."  
I held the beads in front of my chest.  
"Is reflected away."  
"Err, I can still see straight through to your chest," Kraun pointed out.  
"Yes, well, perhaps not this type of glass, but I know other glass materials which can increase the distortion even more. Perhaps it's a specific arrangement or shape of the beads themselves that helps. I should know, I've played around with glass making for a while."  
Zoe gave a small smirk at my last playoff of words.  
"That's probably the most materialistic theory we have at the moment. Seeing as we're dealing with something of a . . . unusual nature, it wouldn't be too hard to assume an unorthodox means to this situation. The people behind this might come from further afield then just traders," Akhil said.  
"Who though? Who could possibly have the resources to create a, glass suit?!"  
Everyone went silent for a moment again. Kraun was just flabbergasted at my explanation.  
"I think I might know . . ." I spoke, taking a few steps back and turning to face the horizon behind my house.  
In the far distance you could just make out a large wall which surrounded a city that was enclosed within, tall buildings protruded near the middle of the place, almost like a mountain. Mike followed to see what I was indicating.  
"Highrell . . .," he slowly spoke.


	4. Pursuit

-Pursuit-

_1 month ago – Ralokshin wilderness settlement – 2:47am_

". . . hey . . . hello?"

Ugh, I need to get more rest, now I'm hearing voices in my sleep. Going to bed at one in the morning after keeping watch for hours can do that to you.  
". . . hello?"  
Wait, am I dreaming this? I sat upright slowly, next to the rest of the kids deep asleep in their rucksacks. Half awake, I tried to listen for any sounds.  
. . . _Thunk_.  
That came from one the house walls. I stood up and tip toed my way over to the wall, pressing my ear to it.  
. . . _Thunk_.  
There it was again, this time it was further off, perhaps moving away.  
"Hey, who goes there?!"  
That was Kallen's voice, she was on watch for tonight, must've spotted something outside. I quickly started to walk for the door to see who it was. I tried to not wake up the kids in the process, but RyuKoo was already awake from the noise that came earlier. I turned around kneeling next to him.  
"Shh, I'll see what it is, go on, back to sleep."  
RyuKoo nodded, and slid his way further into the rucksack, pulling the sheets over him.  
"You, stop!"  
That was Kallen again, I made haste for the door, and headed outside into the cold night. Kallen must've run off to the side of the house.  
"Oh my, god."  
Running around the house, I found her with her latern on the ground. Kallen was facing someone in the darkness with hands on her shoulder. She quickly turned around to see who it was that came around the house corner.  
"Kallen, you alright?"  
"Yeah, I'm fine."  
"Oh . . . LenZ . . . it's good to see you again," came a hoarse women's voice.  
Who the?  
"How do you know my. . ."  
I was cut off mid-sentence when Kallen decided to pick up the lantern to see who it was we were looking at. The light revealed a dirt covered, gold furred, face squinting in the light. She was one of us! I recognise her; she was one of the people that went missing!  
"Miss Ying!"  
Examining the rest of her, she was wearing a dirtied, flower emblazoned, dress and leather cuffs by her heels, Miss Ying's usual outfit. Apart from her untidied state, she wasn't injured from whatever happened to her. The only other thing about her was that she looked completely drained.  
"Wake the others up," I told Kallen.  
"Right," she responded departing in a dash for the mayor's building, leaving me with the lantern. I stayed behind with Miss Ying.  
"What happened to you?" I asked.  
She turned slowly to me and plodded her head into my chest. Her messy gold hair tied in a long parted pony tail on her left, was brushing against me. She hugged, arms around my shoulders.  
"I don't, remember," she replied in a muffled voice against my chest, "I can't remember anything."  
Tears were felt to be forming in her green eyes.  
"Do you remember who kidnapped you?"  
"I was kidnapped?"  
"You don't remember that?"  
". . . No."  
No? Did I just hear wrong? She doesn't remember what happened to her, after all this time? How could she forget? Is Miss Ying suffering from memory loss? Perhaps she just banged her head, and is suffering from amnesia. No, that can't be it, she has no physical injury to the head, definitely, especially if I'm examining her head this close.  
"I don't remember anything. All I can think of is . . . was when I last was heading over to buy some salmon . . . and then just, waking up in the middle of the wilderness."  
Ok, so the entire time she was held captive, she doesn't remember a thing, nothing to suggest who it was that was responsible. It can't be coincidence that she forgot a specific period of time from simply banging her head, and I can trust she wouldn't be lying either, why would she. It's almost too convenient to lose memory of something so specific, namely for the kidnappers. Maybe that's why, maybe her mind was tampered with, somehow. If kidnappers can vanish without a trace, who's to say they don't have the means to make memories vanish too? But am I being too judging in assuming that?

"It's ok now; just close your eyes for a minute."  
She nestled herself better, lying on me. I backed myself against the house wall to get some support of my own. Akhil eventually came out to meet us. His face relaxed in seeing that a kidnapped, had safely made it home.  
"Is she . . ."  
I put a finger over my mouth.  
"Is she alright?" said Akhil in a softer voice.  
I nodded.  
"She can't remember much though."  
Akhil knelt next to us, and he began to examine Miss Ying for himself.  
. . . _Crunch_.  
Something wooden snapped. I looked to my left, to view a few bushes rustling. We both froze as we waited for whatever it was to show itself. Suddenly coming into view, a person fell onto his knees and then flat faced into the ground. Another one of our own, another that went missing. Akhil jumped to the fainted individual. He rolled the person over. He looked even worse for wear then Miss Ying, one from being dirt smeared in the face, and two from passing out, though not completely, the young pierced face adult was forcing himself to remain conscious to point to something.  
"They're . . . others . . ."  
"Others?"  
"Wondering . . ."  
I gazed out into the darkness, in the general direction he weakly pointing in. Eventually coming into view through the savannah high grass, there were three darkened figures. Two of them looked short, presumably children judging by their small height. The other was of an adult stature, who was carrying one of the children on their back with the other child holding onto what looked to be the adult's tail. Steadily they made their way over to us, coming into clear view. They would appear to be the remainder of those kidnapped. Everyone had now returned after many weeks within the short space of a few minutes. And, sure I was all relieved to see everyone come back, but how, why? Was it some kind of escape or were they released on purpose?  
"Uncle LenZ!"  
A smile lit up on the face of the walking, now running child. It was Kang from up the street. He used to always visit and hang out with the kids out by the lake side. I seemingly am recognised as an uncle by all the children of the town. Kang ploughed into me with a firm hug.  
"Hey," I strained out from the heavy embrace.  
Other members of the town were now coming out to see what was going on. I heard a cry of joy from someone as the person bearing the child was brought to their rightful parent. A small reunion had ensued.  
"Where were you?" I asked Kang, softly brushing out the few leaves from his fuzzy hair.  
"I was close to some logs. I just woke up there."  
I frowned slightly fearing that Miss Ying probably wasn't the only one with tampered memories. How dare these people, messing with children minds.  
"Ugh, I'm sorry!" Kang exclaimed, "I didn't mean to fall asleep while I was out, I swear I was going to come back to do my chores, I'll do them now!"  
Do my chores, now? After a month from when he was supposed to do them? That is some serious memory wipe. I could only guess the rest were definitely afflicted with the same problem too. They must be thinking that it's still the same day they got kidnapped. Assuming they do remember about ever getting kidnapped.  
"It's alright, you don't have to do chores, you're safe, and that's what matters."  
"Oh, ok."

And with that and a fast approach from Kang's mother, I quickly stepped out of the way so they could hug.  
"Thank god you're alright, I thought they had you for good!" cried the mother in a crying fit.  
"Um, what do you mean?" Kang confusedly said.  
"Those bastard kidnappers!"  
"Kidnappers? No, mum, I wasn't kidnapped; I just fell asleep while I was out playing. Mum? Mum please stop crying."  
"What do you mean, you were missing for a whole month."  
"That's . . . what?"  
"Each and every day of it . . ."  
"I was gone, for that long?"  
"Yes . . ."  
"No, but it's still Thursday, isn't it?"  
"What no, it's Tuesday."  
"I slept for a month?"  
"What, you, don't remember?"  
My words exactly, suspicion confirmed. Now more than ever, Highrell was looking like a prime culprit in these incidents. No trader would ever be able to acquire technology to wipe minds in these lowly parts. As unfortunate as it is, we're not exactly technologically advanced to create such a device, and for what purpose. Highrell on the other hand might. In the 46 years that past, since our segregation begun, we'd been completely cut off from what went on, with the stone curtains in our way of that city. Only rumours originating from criminals who would decide to break in, out of their lively desire for greed and survival, only then, shreds of information would come through towards Highrell's current status. It honestly wouldn't be difficult to assume that they might have invisibility or mind washing techniques at their disposal. Who knows. I continued to watch on as everyone was continuing to exchange hugs.  
"LenZ?"  
I heard someone call out from the house, the side window. It was Sophia who was leaning out of the window to try and get a better view of what was going on. I walked up to the window seal.  
"LenZ, why's everyone outside?"  
"The people who went missing."  
"They came back?"  
"Yeah."  
Sophia, who over the 2 months, had maintained a more nervous look then usual, finally let of a small smile.  
"Is Miss Ying ok?"  
"She's a little tired, but she's ok, everyone's ok."  
She let of a yawn in response.  
"You should go back to sleep, get some rest, ok?"  
"Ok."  
"Good, I'll be right inside, I'll just find Kallen."  
She nodded and turned to head back to bed when I saw something sticking out of Sophia's neck, a dart! She fell to the floor inside the house!  
"Sophia!"  
Suddenly a figure, a blurred figure came into view by the window and scooped the little girl off the floor. They both disappeared out of sight into the hallway, trying to exit through the front door! Damn it! The kidnappers, they must've dropped off the previous people, but now they were going for others while they were still here! I rounded the corner as quickly as I could to intercept the kidnapper, but I was met by five more blurred figures.  
"Take him as well," spoke one of the figures in an electric filtered voice.  
With not much time to think, I ducked out of the way as a dart narrowly missed my right shoulder; I had to get Sophia back before they disappeared again! No, they're armed, if I get shot by one of those things, there won't be a rescue to begin with, I'll become a kidnapped. I have to warn the others, there are dozens of people still on the main street, out in the open!

One of the blurred figures was now following me as I made my way back onto the street.  
"Kidnappers! Akhil, they're here!" I shouted, as loud as I could.  
Akhil who was just escorting Miss Ying out turned to face what the commotion was. His eyes widened in horror, no doubt towards what was tailing me. I turned around, and saw that the following kidnapper had given up on me. He just stood there by the alley corner and watched, realising that I had rejoined a major group of people, people who might overwhelm him should he try to continue pursuing me. Slowly he backed into the shadows and disappeared from sight. No. They're not leaving again, not this time!  
"Akhil they've got Sophia!"  
I turned back to the side of the house and ran back for where I last saw them. I didn't need to say anything else to convey the urgency; Akhil along with Kraun and Zoe began to follow. All of us going to fours, I galloped as hard as I could swerving through to the other side of the house. There they are, just making their way out another alley, again! I charged one of the silhouettes, and leaping without thinking, I slammed the kidnapper into the ground. In a tumbling pile of body and dust, I laid on my side facing one of the silhouetted faces. Being this close, the figure refocused, and I received a kicking blow to the face as he rolled onto his feet, feet which weren't part of a set of double jointed legs like mine. Kraun came in next, with a body slam on one. Akhil leaped in making a grab from behind, quickly followed by Zoe on another of the kidnappers. I staggered onto my paws, and I turned to see the kidnapper that rolled to a standing position, slip out a dart into his hand from underneath his shroud.  
"Watch out, Akhil!"  
Too late, Akhil was stabbed with a dart to the back. He let of a short cry of pain before he was thrown out of the way into a neighbouring house wall, crumpling onto the ground asleep. Zoe spun around to see the stabber from behind, but was promptly slammed in the back of the head from those she failed to keep a line of sight on. Kraun wasn't going down as easy though, his size working to his advantage to ram his way through a few of the blurs. Steadying myself to try and keep track of the shifting figures, I calculated a swing, landing my fist against one of their heads. I heard a crack, and I guessed that I might've broken something under that face of theirs. A ghastly electric shriek of pain came through their modulated voice. Backing into the wall, one hand clutching his face, he reached with his other hand for something by his side, he's got a gun!

I quickly side stepped out of the way, as he fired a shot which sent splinters of wood about the place as it pierced a wall. I was back out in the open street, but I seemed to had gained an extra bit of angry reception as he now wanted to make me pay, as he was trying to take another shot at me while I was in the open. His weapon poised, it began to emanate a light of sorts, getting brighter and brighter with an increasing noise, the sound of something charging electrically. He unleashed the shot when the noise was starting to become ear piercing. A brilliant set of red electrical arcs left the gun hurtling towards me. I barely got a chance to dodge the shot, as I leaped out of the way landing face down. The arc had missed and exploded against the ground somewhere behind me, sending a plume of debris and dust everywhere. This was high tech at a dangerous and unbelievable level! Rolling over, I could barely see through the night time dust that was created, all I heard was Kraun still having a go at some of the kidnappers from somewhere beyond the alley. Dust and dirt now covered my lenses making visibility ever the more problematic. Smudging some of the muck off, I saw the shooter was now focusing back onto Kraun.  
"Out of the way!" he ordered.  
Moments later he was firing off numerous shots down the alley way! Damn it, Kraun. The shooter now was trying to reload his gun, as he was fumbling for ammunition. Now's my chance! In a dazed stagger, I collapsed onto him, knocking the gun and ammo out of his hand. Landing on top of him, I was trying to pin him down, pulling and tugging at the velvet like fabric that I couldn't quite see. Argh! My back, something hit me on the lower part of my back where my kidney was. Breathless, I faltered to the ground, though trying to maintain my grip on the fabric; I only succeeded in ripping off a small piece. I became powerless to do anything else as I lay there, Sophie, she would be long gone. As well as from all the dust that lay in my eyes and the pain I was experiencing, I was spilling tears.  
"Come on let's go already, forget him, worry about the others!"  
I was looking up at the blurred figure, standing over me. The person's gaze shifted between their commanding kidnapper and then towards me. At which point he stamped his foot onto my tail. I was in serious pain as my tail was being crushed, I cried out. Though he finally let the pressure off when he was forced to leave from the sound of other locals arriving on the scene. In an instant, he raced over me back into the alley way. I felt like I was going to black out, everything was blurry from the tears in my eyes. The faint sounds of paws rushing away and some paws rushing towards me. Mike I guessed was kneeling next to me, trying to assess what my state was like. His expression of disgust said it all. A second face joined him, Amuu'lia? Oh, why did she have to come out to see me like this? Her face seemingly went pale, it took Mike a moment to notice that a child was standing by him.  
"Amuu'lia?"  
She knelt on her knees and grabbed hold of my right hand.  
"It's not safe here, get back to your house," Mike urged.  
"Sophia and RyuKoo, they've gone!" she cried.  
RyuKoo as well?! Damn this! Damn them! Why?!  
"That way . . . they went that way, Sophia . . . RyuKoo," I weakly spoke.  
Mike looked at me and then motioned to a group of others to head after them. Though it's probably too late.  
"Ahhh, I'm bleeding out here!"  
Kraun shouted out from somewhere, he must've been hit by some of the shots.

Moments passed, and I sat up against the wall as my physical pain was beginning to subside. I sat there, next to Amuu'lia along with the unconscious Akhil and Zoe, with the knowledge that now my children had been preyed upon. Why? I kept asking myself, why would anyone do this? It was a question I already thought of two months or so ago, but it was one that I was only seriously considering now, as my hate began to grow. Sweat was moistening my fur; I wiped some of it from my forehead. But lowering my hand, my palm was dotted with blotches of blood. Staring for a moment, I guessed it came from when I was kicked in the face. I balled my hand up into a fist, slamming it into the side of the wall in frustration. Of course it'd hurt, but not as much as my heart. Amuu'lia jolted from the sound of fist meeting wood. I bit down on my teeth and fangs, seething with anger. She sat their staring at me, holding onto my hand tightly. Kraun came limping by, holding his side just above the waist, where he was shot no doubt. Blood heavily staining his shirt, Amuu'lia had to look away from the ghastly sight.  
"Arghhh," Kraun pained as he slumped himself by the alley wall.  
Two others came following Kraun with bandages.  
"Hold still, please, just let us wrap this around."  
"Ah, but it hurts if you do, besides look at me I'm fine, it's only a graze, I can walk, I'll just need some water to wash this mess off."  
Rather unsuccessfully, he attempted to take a few steps but fell back against the wall, at which point with not much more of an argument to pose, the bandages hastily went on, wrapping round and round his body. He started to take a few sharp breaths in.  
"Those bastards better run, I swear, they'll be dead, neraei rotten, meat when I'm through with them!"  
I brought Amuu'lia's head into my chest as she started to well up, holding her close. This was the second time tonight I had to comfort someone as a result of this, madness. It had become high time we started to investigate and find out who was behind all this, who was pulling the strings. More importantly this has to stop, for everyone's sake, Sophia, RyuKoo, Amuu'lia, Kallen, Lou, Kaden. Wait, where is Kallen . . . ?

_5 days ago – Ralokshin wilderness settlement – 7:28am_

In total that night, five people went missing, including Kallen. The only sign that was left of her, was the trench coat that she always wore, strewn along the ground out in the savannah grass. I had taken it back to the house, along with a few things the kidnappers dropped during their rampage. The dart that narrowly missed me, landing in the bushes, the fabric I managed to rip off, and the ammo magazine which I laid on top of when I was beaten, empty. These would make for evidence of the kidnappers appearance, evidence which I could use to get help from somewhere. If anywhere, it would be from Highrell. Considering all this technology, it'd be a safe bet that it came from that city in the first place, which most likely would indicate where the kidnappers originated from. Somehow, someone will know where all this started. It'll be my job to find the right people who could tell me, probably with someone higher up governing the city. Indeed if I did meet someone high up, it should greatly help to get my message through. Though of course, if I try and get help, I'll be breaking the segregation that's been keeping us bound to this land. No, the people who decided to kidnap, evidently didn't have double joints in their legs, a trait that only exists for those living inside the wall. They've broken their own laws just by being here, let alone for kidnapping. I have every right to seek assistance; I have a responsibility to my children and others. Being out here, I'd just be failing them, just to become a sitting duck for when they returned again.

I started to sort through all the items I had attained, placing them in my pockets. I also brought with me some of my glass pieces and a tool case to take for the journey ahead that I . . . we would take. Kraun, Zoe, Monique, Clovis and I were going to head for the city walls to find some way in. Kraun had been talking for the past few days about how people managed to sneak their way into the city, using some kind of tunnel system running under the walls. He also said that he knew people that could get us inside, so he enlisted the help of these, smugglers, I'm guessing. Not exactly sure how he came by to possess such information, but no matter how, at least it should get me inside. It's the only viable option I have at the moment, unless we plan on trying to claw our way up and over the wall. Amuu'lia came into the room. She stood on the spot silently, as I slipped the last things into my pocket.  
"Is that all you're taking?"  
"Well, yeah, I suppose it is, Kraun's bringing the food from his bar so that shouldn't be a problem."  
"Right . . ." Amuu'lia trailed off.  
I was sensing some unease in her voice.  
"Look, I'll return, as soon as we've all sorted this mess out, someone has to do this."  
"But why you? You should be here to protect us."  
I let off a sigh.  
"I didn't exactly do a very good job of that last time."  
"Well I can't exactly do much better then you."  
"One of us has to go and bring the others home, and I doubt you should or anyone else in this house."  
"But . . . I can't do this on my own. What if something happens to you? What if you get sent to a prison block?"  
"That's not going to happen."  
"You're breaking into a city, how isn't that going to happen?"  
A silence of doubt followed. I tried to side step Amuu'lia, but her tail flicked in my path.  
"Just please don't go!"  
"I have to try, someone has to get the others back and stop this from happening again."  
I could hear the kids coming in through the front door, Amuu'lia flicked her ears at the sound.  
"This is the only way, we can't simply abandon them."  
"I know."  
"You're the senior of this gang, I'm certain you can hold everything down. You're tougher then you give yourself credit for."  
As ever Amuu'lia always had the knack to watch over others, along with Kallen, they made quite the team in watching the kids while I worked, traded and foraged my way through the bush. She always held it together, and it would be for the best if she continued to hold it in front of everyone else. Despair isn't going to get the better of anyone, it mustn't.  
"You can do this."  
At that moment Lou and Kaden came in.  
"You leaving now?" Lou inquired.  
I nodded. Amuu'lia settled her tail and stepped out of the way.  
"How long will you be?"  
"I'll be away for a few weeks, I'm going to talk to someone who can help us."  
"To help get Kallen home?" asked Kaden.  
"Yes."  
Lou and Kaden walked up to me for a group hug.  
"I'll get your sister back and everyone else home, I promise."


	5. Passage

-Passage-

I began my walk out of the house, with the children padding along behind me. I knew the others had already packed and were waiting outside for me to join them, best not to keep everyone waiting. Exiting out into the early morning sunrise, Zoe was sitting on the steps of our porch sorting through several small bags of provisions with a hunting rifle laced around her front. Kraun was in the distance testing the straps on his bag. Monique and Clovis meanwhile were standing off to my right, no doubt peering at their destination in the distance. Zoe turned to me.  
"Err, are you ready?" Zoe said sounding puzzled.  
"Yep."  
"You sure, with no backpack?"  
"Quite positive."  
Zoe frowned.  
"I'll be sure to be carrying some of the provisions if it helps put your mind at ease from the lack of "backpacks" I have."  
"Hmm, yes," Zoe said raising one bag up for me to hold, "I was expecting to be carrying everyone's food today, at least you can help by carrying your own."  
I took the bag and held it by my side.  
"Who's watching your crops by the way?"  
"That'd be Mike. He's not bad as a green thumb, helped out a couple of times so he should be able to handle himself."  
"Shouldn't you be staying behind still, you're probably the best to take care of the food in this settlement."  
"I know," she said, rubbing the back of her head, "but I've got a bone to pick with whoever knocked me out cold, I already said. Besides, you need someone who knows how to handle being in the wilderness."  
"True," I agreed.  
I walked down the steps and went around to Monique and Clovis. They both seemed to be sharing their fatigued thoughts about the journey to come.  
". . . really not sure about this, we're going along with criminals basically, aren't we?" Monique exclaimed, "I mean, isn't there another way in?"  
"They're not exactly going let us in through the front gate, you know that."  
"I know, but we could just leave a message at the front gate, couldn't we?"  
"I doubt they would carry it through, they're just guards not complaint handlers, we have to push right through to get something done about this. Anyway if you're so worried about this trip, why don't you just stay behind?"  
"Well, I just don't want people to think that I don't care."  
"What? No one's going to think that if you choose to stay, we're the only lot that's going, everyone else is either unfit or afraid to go. If you're afraid then there's no need to feel so bad about not going."  
"No I'm not staying, I really would like to see this through. I want to know who is responsible for all this. I can't sleep, I can't defend myself, I don't want to stay here and just remain helpless, I want to help."  
I stepped into the conversation.  
"Hey, you guys good to go?" I asked.  
"Yep," Monique hurriedly responded.  
"I'll watch your back Monique, you shouldn't trouble yourself so much."  
"Mmm, yeah."  
I left the pair, giving a quick rub on Monique's back as I went back to the kids who were standing on the porch talking to Zoe.  
"You take care of LenZ, ok Zoe?" Amuu'lia said.  
"I'll take care of everyone, don't worry, we'll take care of getting your family back together again too," Zoe replied.  
Amuu'lia braved a smile, seemingly grateful for our group's intention, even if it was from only five townsfolk.  
"We better get going while it's early," I stated, "we're going to need some leg way if we're going to reach the others in time."  
"Aye, Kraun looks about set."  
I turned to face Kraun. He was leaning and facing a wall, his fists balled up and tail standing high. It looked as though he was saying something to himself, perhaps hyping himself up for the journey. Zoe called out.  
"Kraun, shall we be off?"  
He slowly turned around and faced us. He still had a bandage wrapped around his waist from being shot, his face was tensed with a frown, as if he was ready to ball the world over with his evident fury.  
"Let's go," he simply said in a loud voice.  
He began to march off. Zoe got up, bundling the bags of food over each shoulder along with the rifle. She was trying to reposition the straps, but then she turned back to me, took off one bag, and threw it to me.  
"You can manage another."  
I slid the extra load on, with both of the bags hanging by my hips. Everyone was now heading out.  
"Come back soon," Amuu'lia spoke.  
I merely nodded, and then I turned around and quickly caught up with the rest of the departing group. Akhill came by, present to farewell us.  
"Good luck," he called out.  
I waved back at him, and then to the kids on the porch who were waving back in turn. I do hope I'll see them again, soon.

And so we began our 2 day trip to the fringes of Highrell. It would take us through high grass plains and hills. We'd also have to negotiate the Tenmenon river, following it down stream which would lead into Highrell. Somewhere, around there, we'll meet the people willing to take us in. My thoughts as we were crossing over a hill by the lake, were that of Akhill. He had been tranquilized and didn't recover very well due to the adverse side effects of whatever it was that sedated him. Our poor mayor, left with a splitting headache after being darted and tossed aside into a wall. It took him 5 days to recover, but at least he's back and about. With me taking up the rear of the group walking with Zoe, I looked into Kraun's back, just wondering. If it hadn't been for Kraun giving the kidnappers such a hard time, they might've taken Akhill and Zoe while they were both unconscious. Though at the same time, Kraun could've died that night, the shot which hit him almost went through a lung. He was lucky it only went through a section of his body where it was just flesh and that the others could get to him in time to stop the bleeding.

Kraun still retained some of the pain from his wound, even now as we were walking, I could see that he had a slight limp to his right pawed steps. Hills weren't making it any easier for him to make his strides, as he was grunting his way up. Though to his credit, he seemed determined not to falter in his speed. Thinking back to what he was doing, just before we left, leaning against the wall, I guess he might've been stretching his waist to see how well he could stand. But then his rather gruff remark earlier, when he said, "Let's go", it seemed to be carrying a hint of anger within. Well, only natural, he had been shot as well as beaten by kidnappers. I'd better keep an eye on him, if he's going to go off and do something rash, it could endanger us or make the chances of getting any plea through, miniscule.

Carving our way through high grass, climbing over hills, Monique trying not to trip over branches, it was going to be a long day. No one said anything in the hours which now had past, the settlement already began to look distant. I occupied myself during the continuing walk through examining the kidnapper's cloth. The feel of the material, felt very coarse on one side and slippery on the other. With my earlier theory to do with glass beads being used, upon closer examination of the material, that looked to be right. The coarser side, when I held it in full view, showed a distorted dark shape. The distortion resembles exactly what you'd expect by looking through spherical glass beads. When the material was turned to observe its thickness at eye level, I could make out very small patterned bumps, curved in nature, and definitely made of a glass. The dark shape meanwhile probably was a second layer to the fabric, the slippery side, which binds all the glass together. That and to amplify the visual distortion as I turned the material over again, to peer into the slippery side. This layer was the part that was beyond me, and was now still trying to work out. All I saw was the grey of my hand, in very odd patterns, as though the image was stretched out. Staring at it for the next few minutes, I noticed that the wrinkles in my grey furred palm that met at the edges of the material were the things being stretched, creating the odd pattern. Only part of my hand which wasn't beneath the fabric was reflected throughout its surface in place of where the rest of my hand should've been. To prove my point, I quickly knelt down, scooped up a bit of dirt and powdered it onto the palm of my hand, underneath the fabric. I can't see the dirt, only the parts of my hand which are closest to the edge of the material. This was indeed interesting to observe, and it made up for the rather boring trek through the savanna.

Zoe who was still walking by my side, began to peer at what I was doing.  
"How are you doing that?" Zoe asked.  
"It's the stuff the kidnappers had on them, their invisibility cloak. I ripped a piece off after you blacked out."  
"Oh, any idea how it works?"  
"Well, I'm pretty sure I was right about the whole glass beads idea, there seems to be a coarse layer of tiny glass beads on this side. As for the other, the slippery velvet stuff, I haven't a clue how that works."  
Holding it by a thumb and finger, I lifted the fabric and placed the coarse side on my face, keeping it place so it didn't slide off.  
"How do I look?" I joked.  
"Weird, that just looks bizarre LenZ?"  
"Hmmm."  
I took it off my face then passed it in front of Zoe's. Her crimson spotty, brown facial features, her blue eyes, nose and mouth seemed to be creepily distorted over the surface.  
"Yes odd, doesn't look like the clean image I saw with their cloaks."  
A thought came to me, if I rolled the fabric up so the edges were touching, maybe I might be able to get a better image like the kidnapper cloaks. Their complete un-ripped cloaks, wrap around them to show only what's in the background, so why not try to do the same thing with this piece.

Rolling the fabric up I held the edges together with a finger and thumb.  
"Put your finger inside this," I asked, gesturing the roll to Zoe.  
She slowly took her right pinkie finger and slipped it into the roll of fabric, whilst still trying to maintain a grip on her bag straps. Although it was for only a few moments, as I kept trying to keep the roll in its shape, I saw Zoe's finger blink in and out of view from the surface of the fabric.  
"Very interesting," I said.  
Continuing onwards after that small discovery, it was now midday. Monique and Clovis came to Zoe and I to get their lunches for the day. Zoe and I also took our shares of food from the bags as well, with us all still walking as we ate the seasoned bread and carrot sticks, except for Kraun who merely said that he wasn't hungry. We quickly downed our lunch and it was only now that we started to encounter the handful of trees that dotted the landscape. Meerkat burrows laid close by one of the trees we passed, under its cool shade. The many small inhabitants that were scrambling about the area stood up on their hind legs, ever watchful for any passing travelers or probably more importantly, predators. They had a small tail, small clawed paws, and a blackened area of fur around their beady eyes, to reduce the amount of light reflected into their eyes. We quickened our pace through the area as it was evident that their low growling was portraying their annoyance to us passing strangers. Hours passed as we began to finally exit from the all the high grass that'd been keeping us company on our journey thus far. More rocky hills were ahead of us, slowing our progress. We had to alter our direction to head through the valleys between the numerous hills, climbing over them wasn't an option, not with all the loose rock and gravel, and Monique who unfortunately wasn't accustomed to travelling out into the wide wilderness.

Our paws were beginning to get sore with the constant pressing of hard rock and earth. It was lucky that the ground was getting softer . . . and wetter? I looked down at my left paw, lifting it out of muddy ground, puddles began to form from the impression I made. Clovis was beginning to encounter some difficulty trudging through the muck, almost losing his balance from one of his legs refusing to budge. Monique and Zoe held each other for support. Kraun meanwhile was still managing to drag his way through, his build obviously working to his advantage.  
"Yikes, blasted mud," Clovis exclaimed.  
"We must be getting close to the river; water must be saturating this area of soil," said Zoe.  
"Hey come on, don't slow up on me," Kraun cried out a few metres ahead.  
At that point, Clovis's right knee accidently landed in the mud, making him let off a sigh of frustration.  
"Kraun, we aren't going to get anywhere if we keep slipping up like this, not for the rest of us anyway," responded Clovis.  
"A little bit of support might be nice thanks," Monique commented.  
Kraun shook his head in anger and began to turn around to assist Clovis.  
"Are there any long branches somewhere which we can use for support?" Clovis asked, "How about those over there?"  
Clovis pointed to some large fallen branches, which laid on the steep slope of the valley to the right. Slowly everyone pulled themselves to that side, out of the sticky mud. Kraun went up to the branches and began snapping them into halves with his thigh. I took this unexpected stop as an opportunity to rest for the moment. My paws felt cold from the light breeze that was blowing through the area, Monique was massaging her paws, trying to also wipe off some of the mud. But soon Kraun came back, with the makeshift staffs for us all.  
"Let's go," Kraun said with a hint of annoyance in his voice.  
Monique got to her feet, testing the support of the staff.  
"Look, sorry for being the stick in the mud here," said Monique.  
I started to laugh, along with Clovis.  
"Whatever, let's just get moving," Kraun replied, without a hint of a smile as he started off.  
Everyone began to follow Kraun back into the mud, though reluctantly. He sure was agitated, no doubt about it.

The staffs definitely made it easier for us to pull our way through the mud, and eventually after a few hours of hauling and near misses from some of us almost going over, we hit a small stream which was draining down the valley. We began to a large deluge of water moving fast, and it soon became evident that it was coming from the main river this valley was connected to, as we rounded the next corner.  
"Tenmenon river, that's it, now we just have to follow it," I spoke.  
Monique let off a long sigh of relief behind me.  
"Land, at last."  
She pointed at the more solid looking embankment which followed the river.  
"Well I say that'll be an improvement," Zoe remarked.  
Carefully we began our descent, the mud now not wanting to slow us down, but rather to speed us up like a water slide, only in muddier proportions. Thus far we had been lucky to not have an incident of mud meeting face, but that seemed to change when I suddenly began to lose my balance, wanting to fall back.  
"Woah woah woah, LenZ!" Monique cried out from behind.  
Quickly she put out an arm to stop me from falling over. With her help I managed to land the staff in a position in time to support myself, but unfortunately I couldn't say the say for Monique. She began to slip over onto her back as well, and before I had time react, Monique was already beginning her slide down the hill. She screamed as she was gaining speed. Clovis swivelled around and tried to stop Monique, but their hands missed. Kraun next down the slope was in the direct path of her slide and had to haphazardly step out of the way to avoid being balled over by the oncoming Monique. Within the next few seconds, Monique's scream seized when she splashed down into the main river below.  
"Monique!" Zoe shouted.  
She soon resurfaced but the strong current from the river was beginning to carry her downstream! Ignoring all sense of cleanliness, everyone sat and began to slide to get to the bottom quicker, before Monique was carried out of sight. She was doggy paddling and staying afloat but against the flow of water.  
"Towards us, swim towards us!" I shouted, but no doubt, she couldn't hear me over the water's noise.  
Kraun reached the bottom first, using his staff to break, and was running along the river bank to catch up with Monique, followed by Clovis, myself and then Zoe. Moving on twos to avoid shrubbery and trees, we saw that Monique managed to grab hold of a rock, protruding above the water's surface near the middle of the river. We all arrived by the bank at the closest possible point to Monique, who still about 10 metres away.  
"Hang on Monique, I'm coming!" Clovis called out.

At that moment, Clovis dropped his bag and was beginning to wade his way towards Monique, using his staff to brace and move slowly against the current. I decided to follow, to render some assistance in carrying Monique back to the shore. I took my glasses and food bag off, handing them to Zoe and then stepped into the river. The weight of water was beginning to pile on my left side as I ventured further in. Eventually Clovis reached a point where he could no longer sustain his footing on the river bed to progress forward, as he was now up to his neck with water from just standing. He turned around partly to me.  
"Hold onto my staff, I'll swim the rest of the way, you stay here and wait for us."  
I quickly nodded. Monique was now only a few metres from us still managing a firm grip on the rock. Clovis replanted the staff again, somewhere underwater, in a position closer for me to reach. Feeling my way beneath the water, my hand grasped the wooden haft of Clovis's staff.  
"Got it!" I exclaimed.  
He nodded in response, and then turned back to Monique. Clovis readied himself for the short swim across the remaining gap to the rock. He then propelled himself off the river bed, releasing his staff, and swam as quickly as possible, trying to maintain a straight shot against the current trying to veer him off. I only had to wait a few moments with the two staffs I was using to support myself, for Clovis to reach the rock, grab hold of Monique around the shoulder, and swim back to me. I turned around as he was getting close and with Clovis's other free arm; he wrapped it over my right shoulder and grabbed my left side. It was time to head back to the bank. Using both staffs like skis and my legs against the river's floor, I was pushing my way forward towards where Kraun and Zoe were standing. Clovis and Monique soon managed to get their legs back onto the river floor to help me push forward. The effort though was draining on my arms, trying to shift my upper body strength forward, with two people hanging onto me and a current moving to my left was taxing. Thankfully, with Kraun and Zoe's help as they waded into the water to help me as well, we heaved our way back onto dry land.

I slumped onto the grainy ground; I was soaked for most of my body except my head. Clovis and Monique on the other hand were completely drenched. Monique was shivering all over, prompting Zoe to get a blanket to wrap around her. Monique's bag she still wore was ripped and stained from mud in places, as well as from just being wet. I laid there, panting, rolling my long brushy tail through the soil.  
"Lets not do that again," said Monique.  
"Yeah," I replied between a pant.  
Monique curled her white faded, brown tail around the front of her legs as she wrapped the blanket tighter.  
"Thank you," she said, trying to face everyone.  
"No worries," Clovis replied, sitting next to Monique to warm her up on the back.  
I regained my breath after a moment or so, I sat back up and spun my tail out from where it was being sat upon. Curling it in front of my face, it was sprinkled with all manner of coloured gravel, dirt and sand, almost as though it was something deep fried. Which reminded me, we better stop to make camp and eat something, I noticed that the sun was beginning to set. I stood back up and walked over to Zoe. She slipped out my glasses and handed them to me.  
"Thanks."  
I walked out from under the small canopy of trees by the Tenmenon river, and took advantage of the disappearing rays of light to warm myself up.  
"I think we better stop for the night, get a fire going," I heard Clovis say.

Leaving Monique and Clovis to rest against a tree, the rest of us went to gather some loose twigs for the fire. On the menu tonight, it would be seasoned pork, with a side of peas and a pack of blueberry juice. It wasn't much, but the sweet taste of the juice seemed to give me enough gas to sate my hunger. Nightfall eventually came, and it was time for us to get some rest. Clovis, Monique and Zoe had fallen asleep, but Kraun and I stayed up for a little while as we watched and staked the burning flames. My mind later brought back up the thought of what Kraun was going to do travelling with us, he'd shown already that he wasn't over his anger of what happened to him a week back, not that anyone really expected him to be, but more than ever there was something about his determined mood, his determination to just get going, to do something, even to organise others from afar to meet him, somehow which I've yet to figure out.  
"Hey, Kraun, the people we're meeting, how did you get in touch with them anyway?"  
Kraun stopped poking the flames with his stick, and instead was scraping bits of wood off with his thumb.  
"People who come by to stop at the bar, there are all sorts, from whoever passes through the settlement."  
"Smugglers included I'm guessing."  
He paused for a moment.  
"Yes smugglers, why are you asking? You scared?"  
"No, I just wanted to be sure that what I think we're getting ourselves into, is what we are getting ourselves into."  
"Ha, sounds like you're scared to me."  
"And if I am?"  
"Then you shouldn't have come."  
"I didn't come out of comfort; I came out of the necessity to get back my children. Scared or not, I'm still here."  
"Hmph."  
"So . . . what necessity brought you out here?"  
He looked me in the eye at that point, with a frown on his face.  
"I want revenge," Kraun decisively said, "I want to get my hands around their necks, the people who decided to shoot me, those people in that city who tried to put fear into me and my business, and for doing all this without so much as a hint of punishment on their part. I swear. . ."  
Insightful indeed, but troublesome, very. Kraun was certainly a neraei of action, the hands on sort. But I never quite noted how deep his grumpy demeanour cut. I always pictured the same neraei behind that desk, serving those who came and went, minding his own business in and around his bar, resorting to forceful means only to wrestle out angry patrons of the sort if need be. Though remembering back, sometimes when he was at the front, through the off chances when I was visiting, I often could hear his mumblings about the segregation, his anger, his arguments with the whole situation, being shared with the drinkers. Kraun I guess was the faithful believer in not wanting to be controlled deep down. The kidnappings perhaps, might've just been the straw that broke his hardened back.

"You considered what might happen to you and your business?" I asked.  
"Yeah, I know, I could lose it all together, end up being thrown into a shit hole prison, but I don't care, I'm sick of everything. People always say that you could adjust to life, that it'd get easier as things went on. Ha, doing what I wonder? Nothing? Nothing to stop from being beaten by hidden bastards? No sir-re, I'll tell you this . . .  
And then he went onto the subject of the segregation. He really opened up during this time, sharing his true opinions about everything. Many of the lines he delivered seemed to be almost identical to the few occasions I had previously listened in on with his patron chats. Though this version seemed to adhere to him mumbling a lot, correcting himself frequently on small details with his ideals, as though he was still fine tuning everything, even now. When he finally finished, I was left with the impression of a self-convinced, self-proclaiming, activist against the segregation, as well as anything else that had transpired afterwards. I almost couldn't believe what I was hearing, but then again, that was because I never bothered to ask.  
"I see," I calmly said.  
"You obviously don't see it my way, do you?"  
"Well, I'm entitled to my opinion at least."  
"I suppose so," he mumbled.  
I peeked over at the others to see that they were sound asleep. In that moment, I had to choose my words carefully, upsetting him over an issue Kraun was adamant about wasn't going to serve us very well for tomorrow.  
"Whatever you need to do, just keep the rest of us safe, I only ask that much," I slowly responded.  
He in turn looked at the sleeping members of the group. Moments past as he continued to study the others.  
"Fine."  
There really would've been no use in trying to talk him out of his ideas. I could feel a gut full of fear beginning to build as I realised who Kraun really was, sitting opposite me over the camp fire. What probably amazed me the most was his ability to disclose his thoughts so openly. Perhaps it was just the need to express his deepest desires, after having bottled them up for so long, from the faces of most.

With the last thing I had said, it was merely a means of avoiding my true thoughts about the matter, a white lie. Perhaps he won't involve the others in his endeavour, but it could still ruin the chances of getting help; my endeavour, which I wish to see through as the most likely means of resolving things. Not through rage and not through war, will this problem seize. Kraun I feel is being blinded, through some odd sense of justice, a thing which could perhaps endanger us all in all honesty. Though having said that, maybe I should still say something . . . no, I really am not certain as to how to handle this on my own, I should probably let the others know tomorrow, and then perhaps we could try something. We can't have something like this linger forever.  
"You better get some rest," Kraun commented.  
"Yeah," I said, sliding myself over to grab some blankets.  
Flopping quilts over, I laid my back against the grainy ground and my head against a bag. I took off my glass, clipping them onto my drying shirt. Closing my eyes, all I heard was the cracking of fire and the whooshing of water. I wondered, with as much speculation as I dared imagine; what will tomorrow get us into?


	6. Arrival

-Arrival-

I woke the next day, in the early hours of the morning, from the campfire ash smell wafting away. I got up, and with everyone else soon after, we had a quick breakfast, gathered our things and readied ourselves leave. Zoe was checking her hunting rifle again, making sure the breach was clear in the barrel. Monique was trying to slip on her damaged bag, but failed when the strap ripped off, weakened by her yesterday's ordeal, so she just slung what remained of the other strap over her shoulder like a sack. Soon we all began our walk once more, following a steady course alongside the river, with Kraun in lead with his usual stoic attitude. I was once again left taking up the rear with Zoe, along with my thoughts still present from last night's eventful conversation I had with Kraun. I had made the resolve that I needed to do something, for the sake of everyone else's wellbeing, the kidnapped included, about his attitude. The others were still naturally oblivious, and unassuming about why Kraun was still in his grumpy mood. They simply needed to know, now.

Only problem was, how? Kraun probably would clobber me if he found out that I expressed concerns about his plan with everyone else in the group. He would probably consider that as a betrayal of sorts. Though then again, maybe not to that degree. Although his plot was serious in nature, he still was willing to spill information about it to random customers, to me. Though regardless, he probably shouldn't know anyway,I still should keep this discrete, just to be on the safe side, at least as if this was like personal gossip where no one likes to be called ugly in the open. How was I going to keep it that way and at the same time inform everyone else, I reckon I'd have to do it while we were still walking. When we meet up with the smugglers, that'll make it substantially harder to get my message across quickly and discretely, so it had to be now, before I was faced with an extra, who knows how many, contending ears. So next question, who would I tell first? Within moments, I had my answer, which was far easier to solve then the first, as that answer was walking right next to me. I'm at the back of the group with Kraun quite a few metres in the lead, so I could side a quiet conversation with Zoe. But even so, I dared not risk trying to commune with Zoe just yet, I want to be absolutely sure that he wouldn't turn around and spot me doing anything suspicious. Somehow, I need to separate away from Kraun completely, but how? Hmmm . . . aha, that'll do it. I slipped a hand into my pocket where my glass holding case was. I took it out and then making sure that Zoe wouldn't spot me doing such an odd move, I dropped it atop of a low lying bush, landing softly, sitting there on the bush's exterior. Ok, now just wait a few more minutes and then. . .  
"Ohhhh crap," I lightly spoke, fumbling at my pockets.  
Zoe turned to me, when I stopped walking, frozen in my supposed haze of forgetfulness. I let off a sigh.  
"I left my glass crafting case back at the camp. . ."  
"Oh," Zoe said turning to the others ahead.  
"Hey, Kraun," I called out.  
Kraun from a distance stopped and turned around on the spot.  
"My glass craft's case, I left it back at the camp, I just need to get it."  
Even from where he was, I could still see his frown.  
"Fine, just hurry up and get it, I'm not stopping to wait," he shouted back.  
And with that, Kraun resumed his march. Clovis and Monique followed.  
"Don't worry, we'll catch up."  
"We?" Zoe questioned.  
"Zoe, Can you me help search for it?"  
"Um yeah, sure."  
And with minimum difficulty I had managed to temporarily spirit Zoe away for me to talk to in private.

Backtracking along the river, it was only about a few minutes before Zoe came by and noticed the glass case neatly sitting on the bush.  
"Is this is?" She asked, pointing to the case.  
"Ah, there it is thanks."  
I took the case and quickly slipped it in back into my pocket.  
"How on earth did it manage to fall out of your pocket like that?" she questioned.  
"It didn't," I flatly replied, "I put it there on purpose; I just needed to be able to talk in private."  
Her grip tightened on her bag straps.  
"Couldn't you've just asked?"  
"Not really, no, that'll probably attract too much attention."  
"Who's attention?"  
"Kraun's."  
Zoe paused.  
"Is there something wrong with him?" Zoe resumed.  
"Yes, and I dare say that his problem could involve the rest of us."  
I then went on to explain everything that transpired the previous night, everything Kraun spoke off, his mood and mindset. When I finished, Zoe peeked over her left shoulder towards the way we came.  
"So you're saying that he employed smugglers, so he could get into Highrell, to find and hunt down anyone within?"  
"Yes."  
Zoe let off a sigh. She faced the river and thought for a few moments.  
"I said I wanted to find out who was responsible. I didn't say that I wanted to kill people out of anger; I want no part in it. We'd be no better than the kidnappers' themselves."  
I nodded.  
"What do we do then?" she asked.  
"I'm not sure; I doubt Kraun will stop his venture if we simply asked him to, and we can't leave on our own to Highrell, we'll lose any guarantee of getting inside."  
"We could just leave the group once we're inside couldn't we?"  
"No, even then, none of us except the smugglers know of the city's layout. We'd be vulnerable on our own."  
"Well," Zoe began, but she simply stopped with nothing further to put forward.  
Watching the flow of water, Zoe and I just stood there, silently thinking for the next few minutes of a plan. One which we had to come up with soon, otherwise the others might begin to wonder where we were at.

Ideas lingered on, ideas which seemed easily dismissible due to the risk and unlikely hood for them to succeed. But one possibility stuck out the most, and it wasn't long before Zoe came to the same idea as well, her eyes, fixed on the hunting rifle she now held in her hands.  
"If we can't talk him out of it, then we could persuade him," said Zoe.  
It wasn't a pretty idea, but it seemed to present itself as the best chance to remove Kraun from the group. But what if he still decided to resist, forcing us to use the rifle, what if he was still determined as ever. It would be a very sickening eventuality, a very real risk. No, that can't be the answer. And no, not just because it feels wrong morally, but also because of how there would be no correct way to time this confrontation. If we confronted Kraun before meeting the smugglers, and if we did manage to remove him from the group, we would only end up losing the smuggler's trust, needed to get us in. They'll only recognize Kraun alone, as the person in charge of this arrangement, no one else. So it would be either that or someone would end up getting hurt if the confrontation failed. If we tried this after we were in the city, in front of all the other smugglers, we wouldn't exactly fair very well due to their numbers. Once again, it would result in someone getting hurt. Everything seemed to go back to square one. I explained my thoughts to Zoe.  
"So, what does that leave us, do we just have to play along for now?"  
"I think we'll have to, but at least we can let Clovis and Monique know about this."  
"Ya, "Zoe sighed, "We should get going now."  
"Ok, "I replied, turning to start our way back, "you go tell Monique, I'll let Clovis know."  
"Alright."  
Zoe slung her rifle back over her shoulder, and then we set off to catch up with the group.

Half an hour later, we spotted Clovis at the summit of a hill.  
"We're back," I called out.  
Clovis turned around, giving a small wave. Kraun and Monique no doubt were on the other side of the waited while we made our way to the top. Eventually reaching the summit, the view was most interesting. Above and away from the canopy of trees by the river, we could now see open plains, only dotted with a few trees here and there, with little other vegetation, almost barren. But most predominantly noted in the distance, was the looming wall that was filling most of my vision. Being this close, there was a real sense of scale to the city, its stone walls stretching high into the air, about 30 to 40 metres high. At its base, metal plating skirted the wall, all throughout. On the far right of the wall, I could make out a faint path which was connecting to some kind of entrance, hidden from sight beneath the wall's shadow. Beyond the far left, lay a large blue expanse of water, the gulf. The city was basically in a location where fresh water could run by, and where a lot of vegetation was able to grow close to the coast. Which made me wonder for a second; why was this area here so barren comparatively?

Zoe, Clovis and I stood there in continued awe of the view, so did Monique just a little way down the slope, even Kraun.  
"Not far now huh?" Clovis commented.  
Not far indeed. And on that note we continued over the hill down into the barren plateau below. This time, there would be no slip ups from slippery mud to speak off. And soon, within a few minutes, we reached the bottom.  
"This way," Kraun called out, redirecting his march towards the gulf.  
Following from a fair distance back on the wide plains, that small question I pondered earlier while I was on the hill, it crossed my mind was this place pressing against my mind, this feeling of things being out of place? The landscape was flat overall, but being at ground level, there were many small dips and ditches to note. Patches of grass grew at irregular instances within the loose, overturned dirt. The earth itself consisted of a mix match of different colours and textures. The land wasn't how I was used to seeing it, everything was so inconsistent, disturbed perhaps, given that . . .  
"Ouch!" I cried out, as I stubbed my paw on something.  
I looked down, and slowly lifted my right paw, shifting around a hard object protruding out of the ground. Zoe came to examine the object. She pulled it out, which required some effort, to reveal that it was a large piece of bent metal. Monique also came by for a look while I was massaging my stubbed paw.  
"Never seem metal bent up in this fashion before, it looks pretty wrecked," said Zoe.  
She flipped the piece of metal over several times, getting a feel for how heavy it was, before lobbing it away and dusting her hands. Monique turned to me as she followed Zoe away.  
"You alright?" she asked.  
"Yeah, just a bit sore," I answered.  
Thankfully I didn't hit my paw on any part of the metal that might've been sharp, so I was still good to continue walking. In doing so, I figured I should keep a close eye on where I made my steps. Maybe they'd be other bits and bobs poking out of the ground.

And sure enough, in the half an hour that passed, there was plenty of metal debris scattering the area. Also in the area, laid rotting wood posts and planks, barbed wire, piled stones and dirtied cloth sacks. All this added up to an area once populated, now lying in ruin. But how, what could've done this? Why was there . . . oh, that's why, I think it's quite obvious now, given the bullet shell casing I just found. A fight must've broken out here, a massive one, given the size of the afflicted area. This was probably a fight that ensued, as a part of that war, the Neraei segregation, those five or so decades ago. Looking around again at the cloths sacks and piled rock, I guessed that they were created as cover against bullets, the sacks of course being sand bags. The ditches lining the landscape probably were the remnants of trenches, once maintained by the struts of now rotting wood and rusting barbed wire.

Being on the remains of what definitely was a battlefield, a newer, eerie sense of unease came over me. I felt that the sooner we were out of this place, the better. Although, I'm not sure if that's necessarily going to be true, given that we were about to enter a foreboding city. I pocketed the bullet casing and quickened my pace towards the fast approaching beach. The smell of sea salt was starting to fill my nose. Dirt was now being replaced by sand, whole sand dunes in fact, which were difficult to scale given the collapsing nature of their slopes. I let my professional opinion as a glass maker do the thinking while I slowly made my way up. Analyzing the sand, it was off a very fine nature. It didn't consist of any impurities that would otherwise result in stones being suspended in glass. Overall, this would make pretty good glass making material. If I had the chance, I'd probably try to take some of this sand back. The overabundance of sand here, made trying to sift for sand back in the wilderness seem small. Often it came down to paying traders, to get my materials. Ha, if anything, this is probably where traders go to get their sand for free, to sell for a guaranteed profit. . . Brrr, it's getting cold. Reaching to top of the dune, I was now in the full wake of the sea blowing wind.  
"Woohooooo!"  
Turning to the source of the excitement, Clovis decided to climb down the other side of the dune by. . . well, I say climb down, in actuality, he decided to jump, slide and run his way down. He eventually came to a stop on the beach with a roll before lying down. In a more cautious fashion, the rest of us made our way down. Kraun was already on the beach, now stopped and seated, shuffling through his bag. Coming up to a grinning Clovis, I sat down next to him and looked to the moving waves that filled my ears with sound. This wouldn't be a bad place to inform Clovis about Kraun's circumstance, the sound of the crashing waves would easily cover the sound of our voices. Though once again, just to be safe, I'll probably need to get Clovis away from Kraun, temporarily.  
"This is pretty amazing, never really appreciated how big the sea is."  
I smiled, Clovis wasn't someone who liked to travel, though I suppose many in Ralokshin would also be quite content upon staying where they were, for personal and political reasons. Funnily enough, in being by the sea, this would be everyone's first time by it as a result of our seclusion.

Seclusion? Hmm, I say it as if it's a bad thing. In the 21 years of my life, this is the furthest I've ever been, and yet, I know for a fact that my ancestors once fought as close as we are to the city. I guess it's something I've been use to, being brought up in a post war period with the segregation in place, it has become second nature. Being brought up, I only ever had a mother, never a father. He was killed as a soldier in the war. My mother, Larraine, today resides in a separate region from that of Ralokshin. I left when I was 16 to fend for myself, mainly because we were short on money, as well as short for work. The post-war effect had left the local economy damaged, even with decades to try and recover, getting back up was hard. Resources were scarce, communication and transport were limited, coordinating a recovery effort over a vast land, certainly was no easy task. Such a task, was entrusted to a group of leaders from each respective region, Akhil included. My mother told me it took 7 years for her to first hear about such a group after the war. So, during the time of recovery, I went looking, searching for a place where I could apply myself as a glass maker. At the time it was merely a hobby, though a valuable talent passed down to me by my mum. But eventually after finding the Ralokshin settlement, I quickly set myself up as the resident glass guy, for a place where windows were in short supply. Only struts and bricks were present at the time. Gradually everything fell into place. As more was built, more people arrived to find new opportunities, new ways to support themselves. Among them, was Kallen, who had brought Kaden, Lou and Amuu'lia to the settlement about 3 years after I first were short on money as well, and they too also had the same strategy I had, to come here from whence they'd been poor. Sophia and RyuKoo followed separately a few months' later, namely as young orphans, in a far worse state then the other four. In seeing people, who were around my age, facing the same problems I had endured, I felt it only right to help. I offered them a place to stay, and since then, we became the disjointed family we were now.

Looking back, I think I also left for Ralokshin, simply to explore. It was unnerving, not knowing what lay outside our small world, being the line of tents. I wanted something to fill in that feeling, to discover. And thus, that very same truth has been what compelled me to come out here, along with the necessities of a family. Who was behind the terrible kidnappings? Why was it now? What was it for? These were compelling questions indeed. Though focusing back on the immediate questions, what was it that Kraun had pulled out of his backpack? The backpack object in question was black and small, fitting within the grip of Kraun's hand. A metal antennae poked upwards as he placed the object, in by his mouth.  
"Hello, you guys there?"  
There was a pause.  
"Akiro can you hear me?"  
Slowly some noise was emanating from, what I now presumed was a communication device of sorts. I heard about such long distance communication existing, but usually it was via wire.  
"Yello," crackled a voice from the device.  
"Where are you guys at? We're at the beach now," Kraun responded.  
"Oh excellent, that was fast, you certainly made time getting over here then. We'll be over in a tick, just enjoy the view and wait, out."  
That must be the smugglers on their way. I better quickly talk to Clovis before it's high time to move again. Clovis had now moved closer to the tumbling waves, and was allowing his paws to be submerged with water. I walked up to him, he seemed quite peaceful.  
"What do you think is beyond the horizon?" Clovis asked, gesturing towards the vast blue.  
An interesting question, but now wasn't quite the time to be philosophical.  
"Who knows," I simply replied, turning to check what Kraun was doing.  
He was beginning to move away, just down the beach to survey the area, no doubt looking for the arrival of the smugglers. Now's my chance.  
"Clovis, there's something you need to know, about Kraun."  
Clovis slowly turned to face me.  
"What about him?"  
I peeked by Clovis's left shoulder just to check again for Kraun. He was well away now.  
"Kraun's purpose for coming to Highrell, he's going to try and harm whoever is in that city."  
He stared out me for a moment, with calm eyes, before turning away to peer down at his paws.  
"I know", he flatly replied.  
"You know?"  
He nodded.  
"Did he tell you?"  
"Yeah, back at the settlement before we left. I came by to his bar to see if he was ready. I asked, and . . . he was quite talkative."  
Figures.  
"It has been worrying me."  
"Why come then, if you don't mind me asking?"  
He paused for a moment, eyes closed, taking a breath in, before facing out towards the sea again.  
"Well let's face it, I'm not exactly fearless like Kraun, I wouldn't have gone, not even to try and find those kidnapped or the kidnappers themselves, I wouldn't have dared . . . but Monique did."  
He let a smile light up his face, and turned to Monique, who was seated and drawing things in the sand.  
"So you're here for her?" I said.  
Clovis nodded.  
"She can be stubborn, but that's something I've come to admire about her. I said she shouldn't go, but she wanted to help and so that was that."  
Hmm, and I wouldn't blame Clovis for it. Companionship; the very reason why I'm here too.  
"So what are we going to do, about Kraun I mean?" Clovis asked.  
"I'm not sure, I've already spoken to Zoe about this, she's filling Monique in on the details. Whatever happens, at least we'll know where to keep our eyes on."  
"Yeah," Clovis replied gazing at Monique.

We continued to wait for the next few minutes, nibbling at our food. I counted about two days worth of food left. Once we ran out, we'd be well within the city. Although once inside, how were we going to get more food? Would the smugglers be so hospitable as to share food and other supplies with us? The safe bet was that they wouldn't, what they took, they most probably kept for themselves. Though if they didn't want to give food away, why did they decide to take us along? This was something I only now was thinking about. I guess we only considered about the food we'd need for the initial journey to Highrell. Though if Kraun was willing to have food packed for a short few days as well like us, then he must be confident that his smuggler friends would be willing to provide. Who knows I guess. I suppose there is only one way to find out, and I have a feeling we're about to find out real soon. In the distance I could see Kraun coming back, in a slight hurry too.  
"Alright they're here, pick up everything!" Kraun called out.  
That noise, over the sound of the waves, I could hear something else. It sounded thunderous; it was continuously getting louder and louder, as if it was getting closer. Then I spotted something further down the beach, some plumes of sand slowly rising into the air, following in the wake of several things moving in the distance, headed our way. Zoe picked up her rifle and quickly detached the scope. With an eye, she peered into the distance.  
"What do you see?" Monique said coming up to Zoe.  
"The smugglers, looks as though they've got vehicles."  
Clovis came by to Monique's side holding their bags. I quickly idled up to Zoe as she lowered her scope.  
"Did you tell Monique?" I asked hurriedly, the vehicles getting ever closer.  
She gave a short nod.  
"I told her back in the field after you hit your paw."  
"Right."  
Kraun was last to join us, and together we stood in a line, awaiting the smugglers to arrive. With just a few hundred or so metres left to cover, I could see a little more clearly what the vehicles looked like. They were four wheeled, squat things with handle bars at the front, allowing for one person to be seated and hunched over the controls, almost like a bike. The large procession of about a dozen of these bikes began to slow up, rolling to a halt a few metres away. The leading vehicle stopped closest to us. Its driver slid off the back, wearing a helmet and goggles. He walked towards us before promptly stopping with a stamp of his paws.  
"So," boomed his voice, ever so cheerily, "which of you folks is Kraun?" he questioned, letting off a fanged smile.


	7. Tunnels

-Tunnels-

Kraun stepped forward, in front of the fully dismounted group of smugglers. The group was a diverse mixture of people from different backgrounds. Some were cat like, others more wolf, and amidst these variations some with or without fur. For those without fur, they must've been people originating from within Highrell. So in actuality, this was the first time I had ever seen any of them, properly at least. Their skin, something I'll probably get used to, but for the moment, their lack of fur was leaving me with an out of place feeling. As for their general dressing, they were rugged and dirtied, wearing an assortment of jackets and vests. But every now and then, my eye kept catching onto things which shone, attached to their jackets or pants, looking as though they were souvenirs which weren't earned in the sensible way one would think. All this . . . culture shock, I felt, was starting to get the better of my jaw, hanging slightly ajar. Quickly I blinked and shut my mouth before I got some stares from the wolf like neraei in front. Most of them also seemed to be carrying weapons, pistols and rifles, in their holsters and in their hands.

"That would be me," Kraun replied.  
"Ah," the leader flatly blurted.  
The cat like smuggler leader looked to be the most mixed when it came to what he wore. So many things on him looked to be an assortment of stuff he had "collected" over a very long time. As well as just jingles, he had gear and equipment slotted in a crowded arrangement throughout his dark green vest. His tail was much slicker in comparison to my own, and his fur, black and patchy all over.  
"Well, good to see our hands arrived safe and sound," he said, tilting his head to his left to stare at Zoe. It looked as though he was eyeing the weapon Zoe had slung over her shoulder.  
"Arms!" the leader suddenly shouted.  
Suddenly, the smugglers and their previously idle weapons were now being drawn and pointed at us. They all held their position, guns poised. I quickly reacted only in putting my hands up. Zoe had frozen while she was midway through grabbing her rifle. Clovis was holding onto Monique, and Kraun meanwhile was simply giving the smugglers an angry stare. The leader stepped forward and circled around us in a slow walk before stopping back by his vehicle, to face us again. His expression started to distort with amusement, and before long he could no longer contain himself to not laugh out loud.  
"Bahahaha, oh you should see your faces, they look worthy of a photo."  
And with that, he literally pulled out a camera from his vest to take our picture, before casually slotting it back in. His expression quickly went from a smile to a serious look after he was done musing over our looks.  
"Right then, enough of that, now to business, you, missy," he said, pointing straight at Zoe, "would you mind handing over that rifle of yours."  
Zoe looked to be silently fuming from the gun-photo moment, even more so now that she was being asked to hand over her weapon to just under a dozen others with weapons. Having said that, it took her only seconds to come to grips with the fact that her anger wasn't about to stop a hail of bullets running us through. So slowly she walked forward and handed the rifle over to the leader.  
"Thank you dear, now the rest of you aren't armed I presume, otherwise you wouldn't be having your hands up or giving me stares or hugging one another now would you?"  
"No, we're not armed," Kraun stressed.  
"Ok that's good, then we shouldn't have any problems. As a rule of mine, hands of the sort should only have they hands to handle."  
Hands? What were we actually joining this group as, travellers or workers?  
"I'll be keeping the photo by the way, just so I can keep track of those I've worked with, you know, employment management."  
He turned around to face his gun holding gang.  
"Put em back."  
They lowered their weapons.  
"And as for myself, the employer, you can call me Akiro."  
And with that, Akiro returned to sizing up Kraun who'd continued to maintain his stance in front of Akiro the whole time, up till now.

"So what now?" Kraun asked, "We do your work in return for the passage into Highrell?"  
"Mmmm, yes, that sounds about right."  
So that's how it is. Well, I guess it wasn't naturally going to be a free lunch.  
"I see, and once we're inside, we can leave?"  
"That's right, though I still don't see why you'd be stupid enough to do so."  
"I gave you my reasons, and I thought offering to help you was enough of a good reason."  
He gave a fanged smile, "Kidnappers, nothing like a little bit of competition to boil the blood, eh?"  
I heard Kraun let off a grunt of frustration.  
"Finding them would be in both of our best interests I suppose, what they have is a smugglers dream present come true, cloaks of the sort, very rare and very hard to find, if you catch my drift."  
"I've seen them, invisible mostly, and I've been shot by them," Kraun said gritting his teeth and pointing to his bullet scar.  
"Armed too huh," Akiro said, his eyes widening with what I dare say was delight, "Well, I'm sure you'll do fine sticking with us then".  
Akiro reached in again into one of his vest pouches, this time pulling out a pocket watch attached with a gold chain.  
"Hmmm, best be back in the tunnels before dark."  
"We're leaving now?"  
"Yep, time to get to work again. Back to the bikes, mount up," issued Akiro to the rest of his gang, before turning back to us, "you lot will just have to share the quad bikes with the rest of us, best hold tight."  
Akiro pivoted on his feet to spring back onto his bike. Everyone else began to start their bikes back up with a loud bundle of rumbles. I didn't have much time to pick and choose which bike to ride with, so I jumped onto the narrow back of what I now realised was a wolf neraei's quad bike.  
The driver turned around to partly face me, with his sharp canine teeth in view.  
"Watch what you're holding," he rumbled, trailing off with a growl.  
I looked down. Attached to the sides of the quad bike were bags containing what I guessed were the driver's prized, looted possessions. I shifted my grip so I was only holding the narrow metal plate that lined the back of the bike. Of which, I wasn't precisely sure how I was going to manage just staying on board the vehicle once it was up to speed with such an awkward seating. Somehow Akiro's advice to hold tight wasn't making me feel any better.

Everyone was now seated, ready to go. And with a whirl of Akiro's hand in the air, the loud noise of motors filled the air, almost deafening. I folded my ears down a bit in an effort to shut out some of the noise. Then my attention turned back to whether or not I was going to be able to keep a grip on the bike. Though after a few minutes, I realised it wasn't so much of an issue as I first thought, with the quad bike trundling along the smooth sand. In fact even at top speed, the beach made for quite a smooth ride . . . ah crud, spoke too soon. Now we were heading back inland, back onto the rough gravel roads. Probably now would be a good time to worry again. I could already see, just a little way back along the line of quad bikes following, that Clovis was having a bit of difficulty maintaining his seating. I couldn't see Monique who was ahead of my bike; I couldn't imagine how tricky it must be for her. We could only hope that we didn't have to put up with this for too much longer. And thankfully, with what seemed to be another 15 minutes of bruising my backside, we appeared to have reached our destination. It was a grassy hillside, and at its base was a dark hole, braced with wooden beams at its front. Over by some trees laid a large camp, hidden behind bushes and the dense overhead foliage. The quad bikes now were coming to a trundling stop within the camp's clearing. Everyone dismounted, Monique looked relieved to be off.  
"Get your bags ready folks, everyone who lost in rock-paper-scissors, head over."  
"Wait we're going in now?" Monique questioned.  
"Why wait? You new hands are here, so we won't waste any time getting you to work, starting with these."  
Akiro gestured towards some very large bags, which had zips padlocked.  
"Haul them through, no questions."  
So judging by "hands for work", he obviously meant handling illegal contents, presumably, and getting them under the wall, for whatever use I dared not imagine. This wasn't exactly what I had in mind, but who am I kidding, who was anyone here kidding, just going through without the bags wasn't going to make this much less illegal. Still, I'd draw the line somewhere, but now I feel that line just got extended somewhere else. The point of our trip still stands, we have to get help, and we have to get the others home. There was, and there still is, no other choice.

"Anytime now," Akiro stressed, as we all remained where we were.  
I sighed; I guess there was nothing more to be discussed. Slowly, I followed Kraun, who was the first to make his way over to the bags. Though it was a simple action, and even with the motivation I was trying to summon, it still felt difficult to carry out. I constantly kept telling myself throughout the walk: I was doing this for my family; I was doing this for those snatched, over and over again . . . oh jeez, that just makes me sound crazier, like some lunatic obsessed with something that he'll never stop pursuing, no matter what. Oh come on LenZ, pull yourself together, which is more important, the lives of others, or preserving the law? And if that question still leaves me troubled, just think about all the smugglers armed with guns. Again, like I figured earlier, there is no other option and no free lunch in this. I . . . must . . . do this. And with a firm grip on the straps, I lifted the bag up. Ugh, this bag ways like a ton, but hey, smugglers right?

As I was passing Monique with the heavy load, she gave me a worried glance. She must be thinking about the exact same thing I was. Eventually, everyone, though reluctantly, took a bag, and we headed out along with the other smugglers to the hillside hole. Five minutes later, and we were at the opening. It wasn't really spacious looking into the dim tunnel, there was only space for two neraei to be standing side by side. Head space wise, I would guess that my head would just graze the top; anyone else taller would have to bend over. We'd also have to probably contend with the support beams lining the tunnel. Upon closer inspection of the tunnel walls, I noticed something familiar about them, like something I saw on the old battlefield.  
"Mind your heads folks," Akiro said, as he stepped in first. I followed next, along with everyone else in single file. It was getting difficult to see for the moment, the only lights within the tunnel were now with from the rest of the smugglers; they didn't seem to think of giving us some torches too. Until my eyes could adjust better, I relied on staying close to the wall, feeling my way along what I felt was wood panelling in some places. A few minutes in, and the tunnel stayed true in the same direction, though I was getting a sense that we were quite deep underground as the path was sloping down. Soon though, we hit our first crossroad, or rather, cross-tunnel. Three other possible routes were before us. Without saying anything, Akiro continued into the tunnel on the right. Following closely, the tunnel seemed to be levelling out again, more wood panels and some wood floor panels were lining the place. More twists and junctions were appearing, but Akiro remained quick about his tunnel decision making. Seriously though, what was this place? Was this something the smugglers had created? Or was it something else?

As I placed my paw down, I kicked something small and metallic. It clinked its way along the wooden pathway, though I couldn't see what it was, but I could guess.  
"Was this a war tunnel?" I asked Akiro.  
He gave a quick glance as he continued on his way.  
"I thought I said no questions," he replied.  
"Never mind then."  
"But if you must know, look to your right in a few minutes."  
Ok, I take that as a yes then. The straps of the heavy bags I was carrying were starting to really pinch my shoulder at this point.  
"Keep walking," I heard someone order behind me.  
I sure hope everyone was keeping up ok. We might be stuck down here for who knows how long, definitely more than a few minutes.  
"So we're in a tunnel from the war?" Clovis asked me who was right behind.  
"Would seem so."  
And soon, it wasn't long before that question was definitely confirmed. What lay on our right, was the remains of a neraei, slouched along the side of the wall. The corpse wore tattered clothing and belt pouches, a worn patch of cloth hung from its left shoulder, probably the remains of what was once an army insignia of this fallen soldier. I did my best as I was passing by to not disturb the remains, sidestepping and keeping my tail out of the way.  
"Watch it when you're coming by here," I said turning to Clovis for a moment.  
He approached where the corpse was.  
"Oh my . . ."  
Clovis seemed to stop for a second, in reverence of what he was seeing.  
"Poor guy," he muttered softly.  
"Come on now keep moving," someone behind Clovis called out again.  
He stumbled forward again into a walk, and sidestepped his way across.  
"You can't imagine how much money we made off from these guys, everything from the war, antiques waiting to be found," Akiro casually said, "some of it, still working, their weapons and ammo."  
My thoughts crossed back to what the smugglers were carrying, were some of those the weapons what he was referring to?

He had left my line of sight a little way ahead to turn right at the next junction when I heard the shuffle of paws from him seize.  
"Ah, rocks," he flatly said.  
I turned into junction, coming face to rock with what looked to be a cave in. Akiro turned around with a smile.  
"Back this way if you'd please," he turned to me, pushing me back with a hand on my shoulder.  
Akiro turned everyone around, and we were all pushed back to where the corpse was sitting. One of his cronies stepped forwards, with a satchel in hand, passing it to Akiro with a throw. He then turned on the spot and proceeded back towards where the cave in was. Everything had now turned dead silent in the tunnel as everyone just stood still, aside from the distant movements of Akiro, doing something, but what I wondered? A moment passed and I could see him strolling back towards us. But before he reached me, he brandished something in his left hand and made a clicking sound with it.  
_BOOOOOM!  
_"Woah!"  
"Ahhhhh!"  
"Wooohoooyeah!"  
It was a jumble of sounds, but unmistakably, someone was cheering. Dust came hurtling down the tunnel, slamming into us. I tumbled over just from the shockwave. I heard the earth shift, and rumble around me. The wind which was filling the tunnel for a few seconds was beginning to die down, eventually returning us to the breezeless place we were originally in, leaving us with a slow moving plume of dust at the junction. I was lying next to Clovis, who was lying next to the skeletal remains now slumped sideways on the ground.  
"Ugh!" Clovis exclaimed, trying hurriedly to sit back up again.  
I pulled myself up, and I realised that much of my glasses was tinted with dirt. I thumbed as much of it off as I could.  
"Ahh that felt good. You know what they say; cool thieves don't look at explosions," Akiro proclaimed, "Shall we?"  
The rest of the smugglers shuffled back into action. I quickly slipped back on the bag straps and got to my paws. I helped Clovis back up on his, and we continued our way through the dusty junction, smelling of smoke and freshly turned earth. The result of Akiro's explosive antic left a sizeable clearing for us to make our way through; little was left of the blockage that consisted of boulders. We had to tread quickly through the opening; the floor was still hot from the heat. Hoping that we wouldn't have to go through the use of explosions again, our pace returned to normal.

My shoulders were beginning to ache from the continued strain of what I was carrying, but as luck would have it, the tunnel was beginning to curve back up. We must be nearing the surface at last. This continued for the next few minutes, getting steeper and steeper, and it wasn't long before we literally saw the light at the end of the tunnel, coming down in small shafts from somewhere above. A shining metal ladder was in place that followed the light upwards. Arriving at the base of the ladder to peer up, it was a short climb to the top, where some shrubbery and wood covered the full view of the sky outside. Finally, some fresh air was close at hand.  
I followed Akrio closely up the ladder, having to put extra work into pulling the heavy load up; come on, one last push. Akiro cleared the obstruction above, pushing it to one side on the surface to then hop out of the hole. And as soon as he moved out of the way, there it was, the twilight sky. I hauled myself out of the hole grabbing a handful of grass, along with the bag. I took a moment to rest my head on the soft pillow of green. I probably could've tried to lie there just a little longer to enjoy the moment, but it was cut short by my realisation that I was facing a giant structure, no, giant structures with spires, lights and height. The immediate surrounding was that of a river, with us situated by one of its bends. Beyond the wide river there laid a very wide, elongated building extending a fairly long way out of sight, behind another building. Crates and giant containers could be seen stacked out along the wide building's exterior. And then after that, laid the rest of Highrell, in all its sheer scale.

Resting there in the grass, the rest of group emerged from the ground, one by one. Soon we were all on the surface, taking the opportunity to get some much needed fresh air.  
"Alright, our stop for the night is just over at that warehouse," Akiro said pointing towards the wide building, "Just a short stride over the river we go."  
I turned to face Monique, who unfortunately wasn't feeling very obliging about crossing rivers as per her previous experiences. Clovis seemed to take note of this fact.  
"I'll piggy-back you across," he offered.  
Kraun sidestepped the two and simply began his way across the river. We followed, with Clovis providing Monique with the piggy-back. Thankfully the crossing did end uneventfully. We clambered our way up the rocky slope onto the warehouse grounds, approaching what appeared to be some large warehouse doors, no one else seemed to be around. Beside it laid a dial that Akiro was pressing. The door gave a clunk as it was unlocked; a smuggler stepped forward to pull the hefty doors aside. What lay inside were row after row of shelves and crates.  
"Check the place," said Akiro.  
A smuggler, whom I believe was the driver of the quad bike I was on earlier, went in first. We waited for a few minutes as the sun was setting on the horizon. He returned to report that the warehouse was deserted. We all then came inside, making our way as deep as we could into the warehouse. Finding a crate to sit down on in the middle of a warehouse clearing, I slumped the bag down, and breathed a sigh.  
"We made it," I said to myself.  
Now all we just needed to do was act somehow against the kidnappings during our stay. I figured we'd stick with the smugglers group for the time being, just so we could get information as to who to talk too, and just to get a bearing on this city. To right that decision was, as I continued to peer out the nearest windows at the city expanse. The sight was enough to keep me occupied for the time in which I was eating my rationed dinner. At the end, I checked the food bag for what was left; little apparently. I thought for a second as to what to do next, I didn't feel like I wanted to fall asleep in this unknown place. Oh of course, how could I forget? I pulled out the glass work case I brought along. With everything that's been happening, I guess it slipped my mind to do some filing when I wasn't too busy. Guess now's a good time then any. I opened the case, picked up the latest lens I had been working on, and began filing away at the few rough edges left.

I continued for the next few hours well into the evening. I felt as though I was now finished on this lens. Hmmm, it would probably be easier to see where I was filing if there was some extra light coming in then just from the highly placed warehouse lights.  
"You're quite handed at that aren't you?"  
I turned around to look down the warehouse aisles.  
"Up here," came the growly voice again.  
I looked up; it was the quad driver who was sitting up amongst the stacked crates.  
"Um, yeah, thanks."  
He pulled something out from behind him. I tensed up a bit when I saw it was a scoped rifle. The furred wolf neraei peered into his scope, and examined its front.  
"Here."  
Slowly he passed the rifle down, until I could reach the butt of the rifle.  
"Don't worry, it isn't loaded," he said with a smile, "I don't suppose you're handed with fixing scope lenses are you?"  
I examined the scope, taking a peer through the back and front. One out of the few lenses within the scope casing appeared to be cracked. It would be a difficult fix, I've only had experience with this sort of thing when I had to help repair Zoe's. Trying to get it out would be a problem with all the other delicate lenses in the way. I don't think I could though, not with the current tools. I probably would need something a little sturdier to get the scope screws out first.  
"Do you have a screwdriver on you?"  
The neraei shook his head.  
"Well, I'm afraid I won't be able to get the damaged lens out of the scope's casing."  
He frowned.  
"Not without damaging the other scope lenses."  
"Oh."  
I passed the rifle back up.  
"Oh well, I suppose I'll just have to use the newer one."  
"You mean Zoe's?"  
"Yes, hers."  
"Ah, Ok," I replied flatly.  
I shuffled on my box, going back to my current work. A few minutes passed where I could only hear the distant mumbles and movements from the others.  
"So, what do you plan to do here?"  
I paused for a moment, maybe I can get some advice from this guy about how to get through the city.  
"To get help mainly, I need to find the others who've been kidnapped, my children."  
He gave a small scoff.  
"You seem a little young to be a parent."  
"It's the truth."  
"And you think by coming here, you stand a better chance of having that happen?"  
"Yes."  
"Are you going to set the coppers and hunters onto us while you're at it?"  
"No..."  
He stared blankly at me for a moment.  
"How'd you mean, hunters?"  
"The guys from HEA, hunters, they specifically focus on us exiles."  
He sat himself up and started to climb down from his perch, to land in front of me. His stature was continuing to stare down on me.  
"Look, we don't want any trouble."  
"Well, you're doing a good job of avoiding it, hanging with us."  
"We just need some directions, some directions within this city, that's all we want. You can leave us afterwards right?"  
"You wouldn't last a day in the city on your own."  
"We still have to try."  
I let off a sigh.  
"Appreciate the thought though."  
"Hmph..."  
He stood silent, all the while, still staring at me some more.  
"Whatever."  
Reaching into one of his jacket pockets, he pulled out a crumpled piece of paper, handing it to me. I unravelled it, it was some kind of basic map of Highrell by the looks, only with a whole load of lines and dots around the city.  
"Two things to note, there are 3 tiers to this city, the lower, middle, and upper levels, and that this," he said pointing to the map, "is a train map.  
"Train?" I asked.  
"Transport around the city, be best to stick to the tunnels for these, assuming you make it that far."  
"Ok."  
"And obviously, don't be seen," he concluded, starting to walk away.  
"Hey, what's your name?"  
"Cairn."  
"Thanks Cairn."  
"Don't thank me; we're just not fans of sharing food, plus you're a good thing for the others to put bets on now."  
"Bets?"  
"To see whether or not you make it out."  
Somehow, I had the feeling there was some kind of catch to his generosity.


	8. Run

-Run-

As Cairn left back through the array of shelves, I slipped the map into my pocket and turned around to face Kraun who was coming out from where all the windows were. He was holding a portable lamp in his hands, panning it around the boxes.  
"Hey," Kraun said. There seemed to be a hint of seriousness in the tone he took.  
"Hi," I quickly replied.  
I sat down and resumed filing. Ah, that lamp can help light what I'm doing a bit better.  
"You mind if I borrow that?" I asked.  
Kraun looked down at the lamp, then just silently handed it to me.  
"Thanks".  
I sat the lamp down next to a box that was adjacent to me, aiming its rays, level with where I was working. Kraun circled to my left.  
"So, we're clearly not on the same page, are we?"  
Huh? Where was this coming from? Oh this better not be what I think it is.  
"About what," I said.  
"Why we are here?"  
I sighed.  
"You heard what I was saying to Cairn?"  
"Yes."  
I shut my mouth, continuing with my work, hoping that a conversation would not arise which involved a shouting contest. Though, it was probably inevitable anyway. Kraun took a seat next to me.  
"You seem to have made a mistake for why we're here?"  
"I do understand why you're here."  
"Yet you wish to beg to those who despise us? You seemed to have left that little detail out when you said you wanted to do something about the kidnappings."  
"We all were being a bit vague with exactly what we were going to do. You left the detail out about wanting revenge," I said, trying to maintain a calm presence, "I think it is pretty clear that the others want no part in your plan."  
"Really?"  
"You never asked?"  
"Well, no."  
"And you promised that you wouldn't involve the others in what you wanted to do."  
"Well, yes."  
"Then I don't quite understand what you are not happy about."

Kraun was beginning to tense his hands up into fists.  
"Are you really that dense? That's what gets me. What you plan to do, it would be nice, but that's just not how things are. You think idling into the city, and lodging a complaint is really all that's going to take?"  
"Hmmm, you have a curious concept about what simple is, don't you? To run in, with a handful of people, to go against, a whole city," I said without giving a look at Kraun.  
"Bah, well, at least we'll be doing something; rather than sitting on our backsides whilst our children get snatched away!"  
"It might be, "something", but in "simple" terms, is it the good something or bad something?"  
"The sooner we get at these bastards, the sooner we can stop them, doesn't that sound good enough?"  
I kept silent.  
Kraun sat there. Although I couldn't see it, I could feel his gaze bearing down on me. He suddenly threw a kick into the wall of boxes off to me left.  
". . . Like talking to a wall."  
I glanced up, he punctured the box he kicked leaving a crack, along with a slightly infuriated and pained look on Kraun's face.  
"Well, if it makes you feel any better, both our plans are high risk, no matter how we spin it, so you could say that neither of our plans are particularly good."  
"Huh, great, I feel better already."  
"You're welcome."

A relatively quiet metal clang came from behind and above me somewhere, my ears twitched at the awkward creak produced.  
"Hm, what was that?"  
Kraun must have heard it too, his ears twitched as well. He peered up along with myself. What could've made that noise? But suddenly my attention was caught elsewhere towards the distant sound of some of the smugglers letting off cries of surprise! I stood up, setting my glass work carefully down on the box, and I walked over to peer down one of the box aisles. I saw several neraei running past my line of sight from right to left, some were on two's others on all fours. One of the figures turned and ran down the aisle towards me, it was Zoe.  
"What's going on?"  
"We have to get out of here; the smugglers said they've found us!"  
"They?"  
"Hunters, city guards."  
I froze on the spot, but my position was immediately shaken when I heard a loud bang in the distance, followed by a lot of shouting and cursing. Then I heard voices coming from behind me, someone was shouting, "go go go". It was apparent to me now that there were others outside, who were rushing past the windows. Amidst the blur I saw that they were carrying pistols.  
"Run!" Zoe shouted.  
In a quick spin, Zoe was already running on all fours down the aisle. I quickly followed realizing that I'd have to abandon my glass work if I wanted to avoid the pursuers coming around to where we were. Kraun took up the rear. We turned left, following the route the other neraei were taking. We continued to bolt by the lines of shelves, all the while as the cries of distress and gunshots were going off behind me. I heard a shot that sounded too close for comfort, where the result of which was a window getting one of its panes shot out, just as we were passing by. Focusing up ahead as I tried to maintain my speed along the narrow path, Zoe all of a sudden came to a stop, as she lost her balance and tripped over, landing on her chest. Someone had grabbed her leg, lying down on the ground. Zoe cried in anger as she was now trying to kick off the hand gripping her leg.  
I skidded to a halt, and grabbed the person's arm, pulling it off Zoe. The neraei who I now realized was one of the smugglers, was quickly grabbing onto my shirt, pulling me close to his face.  
"Don't go, guns . . . roof . . . ," he said trailing off, gritting his teeth.  
His eyes eventually became unblinking, and his grip loosened on my shirt. Blood was staining my shirt from the imprint that was made by his hand. Looking down, I realized why, as he had a large gunshot wound on his belly. He was shot, and his last words . . . were there guns on the roof?!

In a shock of realization, Zoe was standing up to start running past a particularly wide gap between the shelving aisles. I staggered to my feet.  
"Zoe no!" I shouted.  
I managed to grab Zoe by the arms and pulled her back out of the gap's path, coursing us to both fall back onto the ground. A loud gunshot that sounded prominent above the other chaos was heard, accompanied by a loud crackle from an impacting bullet. A faint red glow of sparks drifted through the air from the path of the bullet. Kraun skidded to a halt behind me, sighting the bullet's impact ahead.  
"There's someone on the roof with a gun," I called out to Kraun.  
Maybe that's what that creaking noise was earlier on, someone sneaking onto the roof.

Kraun stood back up on his legs again, and got to his full height to try and peek over the top of the shelves to see where the shooter was situated exactly. He then turned and ran straight for the shelf next to us, ramming into its struts as hard as he could. With a groan from both him and the shelf, it started to rock forward. Eventually a small section of shelf was falling and crashing onto the ground on its side. A plume of loose dust was lifted into the air by the updraft.  
"Crawl, quickly!" Kraun shouted.  
I shifted around and I started my way across the shelf covered gap. The width of the shelf, along with the dust in the air, was now giving us enough cover to crawl our way across, out of sight from the shooters who I guessed were shooting through the warehouse's roof hatch. Zoe followed closely, along with Kraun. Soon clearing the gap, I got to my paws and then helped the others back up, so we could continue our run, which would lead us into a small room, its door wide open.

We all skidded to a crouch as we laid low in the room, to find that Akiro was in some kind of hatch. He already was waist level with the ground climbing down and starting to close the hatch. I crawled over to where he was.  
"Hey wait up!"  
Akiro just smiled back.  
"Don't disappoint, I've got a bet on you."  
And with that, before I could get into arms reach, he had slammed the hatch door shut, with a clunk followed by a click. Damn it, what was he playing at? Damn it even more, he locked the hatch, as I found out when I was desperately trying to pull at the latch!  
"You son of a bitch!" Kraun yelled in frustration, "he ratted us out!"  
That I'm assuming was the only way out, the only way out that didn't involve getting caught by hunters or city guards.  
"What do we do now?" Zoe cried.  
Looking around the room, it was fairly bare; it only had an overturned table and some chairs, with some smashed glass bottles strewn near a corner. The only thing that caught my eye was a series of large switches on a board. They reminded me of light switches back at home. Hang on a second, that's exactly what they are. I squinted to get a better look at what was written above the board, some worn out lettering which read, "POWER DISTRIBUTION BOARD".  
"Get ready to run out, I have an idea," I said.

I scampered over to kneel beneath the board, taking care not to cut myself on the shards of glass on the ground. Kraun and Zoe knelt over by the door, readying themselves; they seemed to know what I was up too. Slowly standing up, I quickly peered out the window of the small room back into the main warehouse space. I suddenly could see a line of neraei dressed in heavy black and blue clothing, wearing helmets and visors, armed with rifles, jogging towards where we were. The leading person tilted his head so that he was facing in my direction. He quickly poised his weapon to at me.  
"Freeze!" the armed neraei shouted.  
I quickly slid back from the window to face the switches again and in one swipe; I ran my arm over all the switches. Everything suddenly went pitch black, all the lights were now switched off.  
"Run, go now!" I cried out.  
I felt my way across what felt like the window and shifted as quickly as I dared to get to the door again. There were sounds of confusion that could be heard all over the warehouse from the sudden change in lighting. Now was our chance!

I slinked my way around the door frame, helped out by who I figured was Zoe, by her gripping hand. We started to make our way and . . . ouch, something seemed to claw my fur, from the arm where . . . Zoe!  
"Ahhhh," Zoe screamed, "Get off me!"  
"Zoe where are you?!" I shouted back.  
"Hold still you're under arrest, stay the fuck still you bitch!"  
Damn it! I can hear her, but I can't see where she is! I can't get to her!  
"Run LenZ, just run, argh!"  
I can't just leave her, but, there's no way I can wrestle her out from however many people that might've descended upon her.  
"Go LenZ!"  
. . . I'm sorry Zoe.  
Forced only by fear, I began to trudge my way along the wall again, moving away from the cries of hurt Zoe was sounding. Even as I began to start jogging, I could still hear her voice as she continued to shout my name, beckoning me to leave her behind and escape. I should've held onto her properly, I should've.

Kraun must've been just ahead. I could make out his tall silhouette against the dim light coming from outside as my eyes had slowly begun to adjust. Just as I was about to reach him, he all of a sudden decided to run off somewhere back into the shelf aisles.  
"Hey wait, it's me."  
I tried to call out, thinking he might've mistaken me for a hunter or city guard, but he didn't come back. Instead he headed back towards where we originally were sitting, the lamp, lighting but a small patch of ground. I began trying to catch up to Kraun, but I halted my steps and crouched when I suddenly noticed someone else was there already. The lamp was picked up, and I could faintly see somewhere, wearing orange, pointing a pistol around the area.  
"I'll make sure you never touch our people again!"  
That was Kraun. Suddenly, the lamp light was moved in a quick swerve. A shot was fired! The flash, for an instant, illuminated the area, revealing Kraun taking a swing at what appeared to be a female. She let off a cry of pain as she fell back into a crate wall, the lamp tumbling onto the ground again. I stood up to get over to Kraun, with her out of the way, we could continue our escape . . . wait, Kraun what are you doing?! He must've managed to knock the gun out of her hand, because he was now pointing and sticking it on her forehead. Kraun was going to execute her!

Amidst that moment, everything seemed to slow down. I was about to watch another life get taken, this time by the hands of one of my kin. I fully understood what Kraun's intention was for being here. Truth was of course, I detested the idea of becoming a self appointed judge. As for Kraun though, he was still sticking with becoming a judge, jury and executioner, here and now! No . . . I can't stand by with this. We could just leave right now; he doesn't have to stay to make sure she's dead! Even more reason we should just leave, is that if Kraun kills her, then he'll significantly reduce our chances of our group getting help, our much needed sympathy vote. Things might be already worse enough; I can't stand to see those odds worsen!

I balled my hands into fists, and set off at a full sprint, to slide into the clearing. And before Kraun could have a chance to react, I slammed my fist into his gun-wielding-hand and shoved it into the wall of boxes. I managed to slam his hand with enough force to dislodge the pistol from his grip, thank goodness.  
"Argh, hey! What's the big idea!?" Kraun said, angrily facing me.  
"I can't let you do that, you'll ruin my plan."  
I could feel Kraun flexing his muscle to try and get his arm off the wall, I can't keep him pinned like this for long!  
"Screw your plan, you don't give a damn about mine, so I won't hughhg!"  
I had no choice, he almost broke my grip and with his free hand, almost reached over to try and choke me. It was lucky I could see it coming in the dim light. I used my other free fist to ram into Kraun's side, no doubt where his bullet wound was. Immobilising him, he started to weaken in his stance, and with one final press off my hand to his head, I slammed him into the wall of boxes, sending him crumpling to the ground unconscious.

I stood there for a moment, staring at what I had just done. I really just did that? . . . And saved someone? My thoughts quickly returned to the female still sitting on the ground, with a look of shock. She wore an orange turtle neck top, her brown gloved hands were braced against the boxes behind, her face, staring between me and Kraun. Two white streaks of hair stuck out at the front of her forehead, and judging by her ears, she had to be a non-furred neraei on the wolf side. Our eyes continued to connect for the moment, until I was reminded of the danger that was still in this warehouse from the sounds of footsteps closing in around me.  
"Please don't follow me," I quickly said to the person.  
I spared a quick glance at Kraun and his unconscious form. No way was I going to be able to bring him with me. Though knowing that, and knowing what he was about to do, it seemed easy that I should simply leave him here. Condemning someone to a prison block wasn't exactly what I had in mind, but neither was breaking out of here into the wide city world this soon. I pushed my thoughts of Kraun to the back off my head and proceeded to make my way towards where the windows were. Oh hold up a second, I can at least take my things with me. Back on the box where my lenses and tools were, I scooped them all into their casing and pocketed it quickly. Now, I just hope I can make my way out with perhaps a window I can open. Leaving the light in the clearing going back to near pitch black once more, it looked like finding some kind of latch would prove hopeless. I was forced to feel my way over the windows, wiping grime off as I went.

The footsteps, their shouting, they were getting closer. Come on, please, a latch somewhere? There has to be one. Perhaps near at the bottom of the window seals. No, what am I thinking? This place had a lock on the door, a combination lock of some kind. I doubt this would be the kind of building that would allow windows to be opened. I looked around and grasped at a hefty box. Looks like I'll be making my own opening.

Getting a grip around the box, I began lifting it, trying to get it over my head. I managed to do it with some much needed effort, and then I brought the heavy load forward and straight into the window. The struts which were lining the many small panes of glass in the large window, gave way. Glass shattered everywhere, and in the dim light, provided a quick display of small flashing shards of reflected light. The opening looked to be wide enough for me to slip through, no, jump through, don't want to risk cutting myself on any glass still left attached on the seal. I stepped my paw up on one of the shelf tiers and lifted myself off the ground. Coiling my legs, I balanced myself, and then leapt through the window back into the outside open. The others would probably catch onto the noise and come looking for where I was, best put some distance between me and them . . . Oh crap! They're already onto me, they've seen me. Though the people inside hadn't reached the smashed out window yet, there were two people who were standing around outside who caught sight of me. They were about 15 meters away, sprinting straight for me. On top of that, I now realized the shooters on the roof would probably look around to see what was going on outside. Across the open, I wouldn't make it; they'd shoot me for sure. Cover is what I needed, so I dashed towards where some more crude storage shelves were along with where a crane support beam stood. I remained on twos as I was maneuvering around the metal beam, and then made a straight dash on all fours parallel to the shelves.  
"Stop exile, stop!"  
I could hear one of the two neraei shouting not far behind me, which only acted to spur me faster and away from their grasp quicker. I started to hear shots being fired, splinters of wood sprayed into the air as the shots ricocheted off the shelves. Lucky for me, this darkness would make their aim prove problematic.

Soon I heard no further shots, no further shouts of protest, just wind brushing over my hair and fur as I continued my way, my escape. I began to hit an incline, met with some grass, but then it flattened out again. By looks I must've hit a dirt road. I stopped for a moment and stared up, noticing now where I was headed, the tall city spires, lights dotting the darkened scenery. Back to my immediate surroundings, some light was streaming onto the road from the tops of tall poles lining the side of the road at regular intervals. I could see some squat houses ahead, just a little higher above the road on another slope, some cover. I crossed the street, ran up the incline, and slipped my way between two of the houses. I backed onto the brick wall standing up; I took in as much air as I could. My legs and arms felt were numb, I was sweating and shaking. My hands gritted with dirt, my shirt bloodied. But all in all, forcing myself to look optimistically for a fraction of a second, I was still alive, with a course that was still worth running for. But then something came over me. For what it was worth, I was alone in what course I had left. Zoe was captured along with Kraun, Clovis and Monique . . . I don't even know if they are even alive. After all the hell in that warehouse, it's a growing possibility that they might not have made it. No! Stop it. Don't you dare start crying up now. They still could've simply been arrested, or maybe they made it out of the warehouse, perhaps with Akiro, or at least into the rest of the city. There was simply no way of knowing at this point in time. The best thing to do was to move off, and to focus on what was around me . . . right now. It was time to continue.

Brushing off as much of the dirt I had on my hands I surveyed the alley I was in. There were some bins lining one side of the alley, though despite their placement, junk littered much of the ground, so much wrapping and paper. Oh right, paper, map. I slipped out of my pocket the folded map that Cairn was kind enough to give me. Looking closely, I was able to find what looked to be a river, only one, which must mean it was the Tenmenon River I was roughly close by. Though the map didn't show much more than that, it was only train routes it was concerned about. I focused more closely on the river's shape on the map, and tried to think back to when we first came into the city through that concealed entry, what the surrounding river shape was like. The map showed that the river wasn't too terribly bendy; it ran fairly straight throughout most of the city. Where we came out, the river was in fact making a sharp turn. One such turn seemed apparent on the map closest to the wall, which would make sense because that was the only one within the lower levels, which seemed evident to be where I was given . . . well, the state of things. I had a lot of ground to cover, if I was going to at reach the upper levels, let alone the middle one. While I'm around those levels, I'll have to keep my eyes open for anyone that might potentially listen to what I have to say.

I stowed the map again, and then took a few tentative steps down the alley, my paws crunching the rubbish as I went. This whole area was seemingly reminiscent of the early times I spent at my first home, a slum, with my mother. You'd find yourself having to scavenge for things day after day, finding things that would patch together your shred of ground that you'd hold onto to call home. Though, this place didn't appear to be that bad in comparison. Though I have a feeling I would have to eat my own words if the city guards or hunters found me again.


	9. Hidden

-Hidden-

Walking by the bins, one of them had a long grey blanket, slightly tattered and hanging out from under the lid. Hmmm, I might need to cover up; all this fur might attract some attention . . . and the blood. I lifted the bin lid and pulled out the rest of the blanket. Holding it up, it would definitely be big enough to cover me. Anything else in here? Ah, great! A dark blue shirt was lying amidst the junk. Hm, are city folk really accustomed to throwing out stuff like this so easily? Well, I guess it really isn't that surprising, living in such a massive centre like this, where shirts and blankets are probably the least of their worries.

I swapped my shirt, dumping the bloodied one into the bin. Seems a bit tight, a little undersized, but fitting regardless. Now, with the blanket, if I just cut a small hole, I can slip my head through it and just drape it over myself. I flapped the blanket out onto the ground, and using a claw in my paw, I made a small rip in its centre. Lifting the blanket back up again, I slid my head through the hole and let the fabric rest over me. I created a crude poncho, but a useful poncho nonetheless. It covered my body down to my paws. Arms and tail wise, so long as I kept them tucked within, they would be covered as well. Head wise, I'll just have to keep it low as best as I can. I'll have all of this night to get as far as possible; sticking to the smaller spaces of the city until I hit the train system might be my best option.

As I began my way out of the alley, I could just make out in the distance some loud repeating noises, coming from where the warehouse was. I exited the alley onto a small street, and headed right along the walkway as soon as I checked that there wasn't anyone else about. For the next few minutes, I wondered the deserted streets, though it wasn't proving to be a quiet walk as the loud noises sounded to be getting closer. If anything, I bet that was something to do with the warehouse. It could be the city guards and hunters moving, some way of making their presence prominent as a city authority. I peered over my shoulder as the noise was starting to become deafening. Suddenly I could see red and blue lights flashing at the far end of the street where the source of the noise emanated. They were headed straight my way, and very quickly too, a vehicle! I jogged into another alley way and backed myself into the wall as I waited for the moving vehicle to pass. At least I hoped they would pass, had they already found me again?

Thankfully, no, as there was no sign of the vehicle slowing up. The lights briefly flashed the alley as it rushed past, the noises quieting down as it made distance. I peered out to check that it was out of sight before I started again on the street. They must still be looking for me; I'll have to move faster. Checking the streets again, I continued on my way, keeping note of where all the spires were in the distance, my thereabouts destination.

_4 days ago – Lower City – Lower to Middle City access junction – Sometime in the night._

I had been careful enough to avoid contact thus far, always moving and weaving my way through the many streets made avoiding the authorities relatively easy. Occasionally throughout the hour or so I was walking, I ran into a late night walker. They didn't seem to pay much heed to me though. Judging by the local appearances of the rag-tag neighbourhood, I seemed to fit right in. But would I be so lucky on the middle levels? I probably would stick out like a sore thumb, judging by the different classes of living which seem to segregate this city. That just doesn't seem right to me, couldn't the city just live with one segregation?

Turning my thoughts back to my surroundings, this area I was entering seemed a bit, neater then the areas previously. Could I be getting close to the middle levels? I spotted a metal pole nearby, with metal signs posted on top pointing in various directions. So many different street names, but there was one that stood out which read, "Lower to Middle City access junction". Looking down the street where the sign was pointing, that was my way in. But slowly amidst my gaze, I could hear footsteps coming out of the darkness from somewhere. Darn it, I can't move out of here, not without being spotted. Ok, just stay calm, pretend you're a local, and just don't face the person.

I figured out that the footsteps were coming from behind me, so I turned my back and leant against the pole. The person was very close now, though I was beginning to notice that there was something, erratic about his movements, stumbling. I was tensing up a bit as the person was starting to pass by my left. Continuing to stumble, the person placed a heavy hand on the pole to balance himself.  
"Ugh, shhhhity, road."  
Next I heard a gurgling sound, like liquid in a bottle. The person seemed to smell of alcohol. Figures, a drunk neraei.  
"Ohhh, shorry, I didn't shee you there . . . hic."  
"Um, all good."  
I continued to keep my face turned as he decided to take another scull. He toasted his bottle up into my view.  
"Cheersh, have a tip."  
He slipped a piece of paper out, money probably, and pinned it to my left shoulder. I took the money and pocketed it. The guy started to stumble off on his way.  
"Thanks."  
"Anytime . . . hic."  
Soon, without slipping up too terribly, he disappeared from view back into the night. He must've thought I was someone homeless or something. I peered down at the tip he gave me . . . wait, this isn't a tip, it's got some writing on it. I moved closer to one of the street lights to take a look. It read, "Please go down Sully Street".

From what I read on the signs, one of them pointed down a street named Sully. That's where this note wants me to go; trouble is, should I? I don't exactly feel inclined to start taking directions from a stranger while the city is against me. Though I have to wonder, why ask nicely at all? If that drunken neraei knew where I was, then surely, why doesn't the message sender nab me on the spot? Clearly this can't be the hunters or city guards doing. So who? Wait, could this be from the smugglers, my friends, those kidnapped? I peered down Sully street; looks like there's only one way to find out who the mystery messenger is. I slowly went into the street, peering cautiously around at the alleys. In my gut, I was starting to get the building anticipation of something about to jump me. Suddenly I had a horrible thought. Oh crap . . . perhaps it's not anyone friendly at all, sure maybe not the city authorities, but what if it's the kidnappers themselves. I stopped on the spot. I was completely tensed up. Ears open, I tried to pinpoint any indication of movement.

Nothing. Seriously though, what was this? It still could be someone friendly; would I pass up the opportunity to reach someone else who could help? Who could need help?

Another minute or so passed by, still rooted to the spot.  
"Stay calm".  
That came from my right, a house? I turned slowly around.  
"Just walk off the street, I'm over here."  
I could make out a shadowy figure, no, two figures. They were just outside the front door of an old house.  
"Who are you?" I asked.  
"We'll explain, but please get off the streets; the police are still looking for you."  
I still don't trust this situation, but I think its best I go along with this anyway, not exactly sure if I have a choice of running away. Still, at least they didn't shoot me on sight.

I walked up to the small set of steps leading in, one of the figures pushed the door open, dim light came streaming out.  
"Go right in."  
The speaker wore a black cap with a gold star and some streaks of white on it. He had a dark green sweater top on and dark blue pants. He had no fur, no tail, which was the part that interested me. What city inhabitant would want to talk to me? Stepping inside, the place was slightly run down. Lamps dotted the place to provide some illumination, down the narrow hallway and rooms on either side. The size of this house, overall, reminded me of home. The cap wearing neraei quickly but quietly closed the door.  
"In here," he said, gesturing to a room with some boxes and chairs around a small table. On the table were bottles of water. In one corner was some technology that seemed out of place, some metal boxes with a whole load of dials and switches. It had a metal antenna, which reminded me of Kraun's device for communicating with Akiro. Could this do the same thing? The other figure I saw earlier on, she was sitting at the table already. She wore a blue tank top with a small black jacket going down to her waist only. Her hair was dreadlocked. The cap wearing neraei took a seat, I followed.

"We're lucky to have found you in time; it probably wouldn't have been long before the police got to you. If not them, then the hunters," said the capped neraei, "You thirsty?"  
"I suppose I am."  
"Well by all means, have a drink."  
I looked at the bottle of water set in front of me for a moment but I went back to ask some pressing questions.  
"I do appreciate the company, but it would be nice to know who this company might be."  
The capped neraei nodded.  
"Ok straight to the point then," he said shuffling his cap, "we are an activist's group which is opposed to the segregation of furred from non-furred neraei. We call ourselves Demo's, as it is our job to demolish the wall's function that exists to divide our species of neraei. So with any arrivals, such as yourself, we are supportive of a proper coexistence and we actively exercise this right, even now."  
At this point with my question answered, I picked up the bottle, opened it, and took a long scull before setting it down again. Refreshing, and much needed.  
"Then I have you to thank for the hospitality?"  
He nodded.  
"We've been tracking you and your group for some time, since you entered the city actually. Our local ears are usually more immediate then the police or even the hunters.  
"I see."  
"But understand, before we can go any further, we need to know if we can trust you. We don't support the segregation, yes, but we also don't support criminals on other levels."  
At the sudden change in tone in his voice, I looked at the bottle I just drank from.  
"Did you. . . ?"  
"What?"  
"Put something in the bottle?"  
"Oh no, no, we never aim to steep that low, we just want to talk. It isn't our intention to go against what I just said."  
He took a sip from his bottle before letting off a sigh.  
"Seems neither you nor I can trust each other. This is the same sort of doubt that led to the war, then the segregation all those decades ago. Perhaps if we learned how to use our mouths rather than our fists, we might be sitting here under different circumstances."  
"I suppose so."  
"So why are we here? Or more importantly, why are you here?"  
I paused for a moment, rocking my bottle on its base. I turned to the female neraei who continued to remain silent. It was only now I paid attention to her brown eyes. Her pupils were in a slit shape, which meant she was a non-furred neraei on the cat side. As for the head capped neraei, his brown eyes had rounded pupils, which made him a neraei on the wolf side. But back to the impending question.

If anything, in my quest to search for help, this would be a good score, in light of these, activists, being all ears and the rest of the inhabitants thus far only being hostile. So naturally with an opportunity presenting itself like this, I started with describing the details behind the kidnappings that went on over the past few months. I explained how those that did come back had their memories altered, and even through their return, they were only replaced by more kidnappings. All of the pieces of evidence I had of those events, I drew from my pockets and placed on the table; the dart, the piece of invisibility fabric, and the empty pistol magazine. So then, it would become my obligation towards Kallen, RyuKoo, and Sophia as well as towards the rest of the people kidnapped to get them back and put a stop to this terror. I went on next about my journey into Highrell, the spills and stumbles along the way, our league in with the smugglers just to get into the city, and my narrow escape from the warehouse.  
"Yes, we were watching the incident which took place at the warehouse. We have our well placed sources. We are also aware of the strange happenings outside these walls with the country regional inhabitants. Though perhaps not to the extent you've been able to describe and show for."  
He picked up the pistol magazine, examining its empty interior.  
"This is unacceptable, as always."  
And now, the magic question.  
"Can you help us?"  
He studied me for a moment while holding up the magazine. He slowly put it down.  
"I'm afraid, we are too limited in power within these walls to assist, the best we could probably do is look into the matter at a distance, see what information we can dig up. How to apply such information is another matter, one we probably lack the resources in."  
". . . I see."  
"I'm sorry, but in a city like this, we don't hold all the cards. We've been struggling ourselves for quite some time, just to remain afloat without getting sunk by the segregation's bureaucracy. So we aren't exactly empowered to do much, at least for now anyway."  
Hmm, talk about a segregation from the outside, seems as though there was much a strong segregation on the inside of opinion, remaining even after all the decades.

"But back to your story, you mentioned you helped the smugglers carry in bags in order for them to provide passage. What did they contain exactly?"  
"I don't know, they were given to me padlocked."  
The capped neraei turned to the other member sitting at the table, she simply nodded.  
"Well, that's true. Yes we know of the padlocked bags being confiscated after the warehouse raid. After the officials busted off the locks, all they could find was food rations and other belongings. Some of the bags were just empty."  
"Oh . . ."  
"So in that respect, you aren't to blame at all. The smugglers are very much known to smuggle goods out, rather than in. After all, from countryside to a megacity, there wouldn't be much to trade in."  
I breathed a sigh of relief; it was good to know that I at least wasn't able to be held responsible for carrying in any illegal goods or such, even though I was prepared for such an outcome. Although . . .  
"Aren't I still in trouble for just being with the smugglers?"  
He paused.  
"I want to trust you, from the long story you told me of your children, from the kidnappings, from just being with the smugglers to get after those kidnapped. But most importantly, I want to trust you from the decision you took, to take that note I passed off to you at that intersection. Any other smuggler or criminal would've tried to ignore it and escape, but you decided to seek us out, because you didn't have anything to hide. With that, I'm sure we can rule you out as a criminal, even if you were temporarily associated with the smugglers. The only reason why you chose them was just to get into the city, to take action against your local problems, and I can't blame you. It is because of the segregation that a parent such as yourself would be forced to resort such means. No parent should have to go through that. So, in which case, you'll be our guest under our protection."  
"Just don't betray our trust in you," the female neraei said, breaking her silence.  
I nodded.  
"I promise, you have my word, and thank you."  
The capped neraei stood up.  
"And I thank you too for the honesty."  
He offered out his hand for me. I shook it firmly.

"It's been a long night; we have a place for you to sleep, upstairs."  
We all stood up from the table and began to file out of the room into the hallway again.  
"I should be going," the female said, "they'll probably need me back."  
"Alright go, contact me if anything arises."  
Quickly she gave a nod and exited the house.  
"Alright follow me, umm, your name?"  
"LenZ."  
"Right, follow me LenZ."  
We started up the stairs.  
"What might I call you?" I asked.  
"You can call me Smith. It isn't my real name, but for a group like us, we figure its safer not to use real names."  
"So was that really you who handed that note?"  
"Not a bad bit of acting huh?"  
We turned left into a room at the top of the stairs. It had a mattress on the floor with a lamp by it on the floor.  
"It's not much but. . ."  
"Least it's better than the ground," I said with a smile.  
"Mmm, now, should the authorities come knocking around here, you can head into a hidden cellar. I will be here for the most part, overall it'd be best for you to remain here."  
"What off the kidnapped though?"  
"We'll do our best to look into it, trust me."  
It certainly felt good that there was someone here now willing to spare some time to help me, though I wasn't sure to what extent. Still, better than none, and still better then what I expected. I sat myself down on the mattress  
"You know, over the decades we've been around, there has only been just a few dozen neraei that have dared to travel as far as you have. You've got courage."  
"Ignorance I'd say."  
He gave a small laugh.  
"Sleep well."  
I slid of my glasses, lying down to get what shut eye I could. Eventful as everything was, this would be my first night in Highrell.

_1 day ago_ _– Lower City – Demo Safe House – 4:12pm_

By this time, I had spent quite a bit of time getting familiar with the city workings of Highrell. Most things, from how currencies were split between each city level, down to what mobile phones were for. There was a close call at one point with hunters doing a door to door search for me. Luckily, I already made it into the cellar when they asked to look around the house. It was tense, but at least it was for only a brief few moments. Whenever Smith was around, he'd usually be attending to the communication device, a radio as it were, to get in touch with those that may know something about the kidnappings. Though thus far, no luck came about for where the kidnapped or kidnappers were, no major leads. What the Demos did find out, was how the hunters and police found out about the warehouse we were staying in. They came as a result of an anonymous tip off at HEA's headquarters. No name or anything else; the caller only listed the location and how many of us exiles there were, and then hung up. Information, courtesy of Demos well placed sources.

I peeked out of one of the drawn curtains on the second floor, looking down onto the streets below. The police were out and about, one of their vehicles passing by. It was all well and good that I was to remain here for my own safety, but I wasn't able to do anything to find my children. Fair enough, I have the support of the Demos to do just that, but I guess I'm just impatient. If more people are involved in the search, the better. This includes me.

Now would be the time to continue once more with my venture into the city. In knowing more details of Highrell, there could be a simpler way to get to the other levels, perhaps all the way up to the upper city, using cars as they were called. It could just be a simple matter of travelling hidden within a car, with someone from the Demos, up to someone from the government to voice my plea. Although the city was looking for me, I'd be willing to take the risk. Although, I'm not sure how the Demos would react to such a request. No come on, I'm being naive if I'm thinking that such an endeavor would be so simple. If an entire city is looking for me, then surely it isn't going to be simply an easy drive in. Think about this first LenZ, I can't afford to tie up my feelings of urgency, into a rushed plan. Such that my suspicions were confirmed when Smith returned.

"No way, that's the last thing anyone like you should be doing," he said frowning heavily, "you're in our care, and we want to keep it that way for your sake."  
"Don't get me wrong, I appreciate what you are doing, and I do understand the situation, but I should still to be taking action as well. How can I find my children if I'm hauled up here?"  
"Well, I'm afraid the situation you know it, just got complicated. Reports from HEA are saying that they've set up checkpoints on all roads leading into middle city. Which means any vehicles trying to head in will be searched to try and find you. They've gotten pretty pissed off that you're still about."

Hmmm, complicated indeed.  
"But that can't be helped, I must get to someone higher up, there has to be another way in."  
"I'm not helping you to get captured."  
"Your concern is kind, but you really don't have to spare so much of it on me. I need to do this, but I don't expect you to follow me if you don't wish to.  
"Listen, I'm telling you, there is no way in!"  
"I made it past the wall, surely there's a way past the checkpoints."  
"That was different, you didn't have any police or hunters to contend with."  
"Look, just think for a second that it's possible. Could there be a way in?"  
Smith's faced seemed flabbergasted at my stubbornness.  
"Even if you could avoid being captured at the checkpoints, you can still get caught in the middle and upper city areas, in case you've forgotten. If that happens, then it won't be a surrender, it'll be a guaranteed execution. Especially for the upper city areas, they can lockdown the area with steel bulkheads and send automated drones to hunt you down."  
"Are you really trying to scare me?"  
"Yes, if it means you'll listen to me. We've been working through the problem of the kidnappings as best as we can. Fine, we haven't got anything, yet, so we'll just have to be patient. Don't doubt me."  
"I don't, but while you work away at the problem at your end, I want to do what I can myself. I'm not going to play sitting duck, again. Anyway . . ."  
I peeked outside the window again.  
"The longer I stay here, the more you'll be at risk for helping me if they find me. At least with me away, you'll have one less thing to worry about, in being found out. You'll get to keep your cover."  
A long pause came over Smith, as he pondered my suggestions.  
"You really haven't got anything to lose huh? Enough for you to go on a suicidal run?"  
"I've lost RyuKoo, Kallen, and Sophia, I've lost all those who decided to accompany me. Knowing that, I know that my message has still made it through. I honestly never would've guessed that I would meet a whole group of neraei that could still believe in people, without the need for a wall, even after all this time. So in a way, I have already fulfilled what I originally wanted to do. All it is now is one pissed off LenZ, and the kidnappers. I do believe you would be right in thinking I'm impatient. I am, for months this has gone on, but now I wish to at least try resolving this, once and for all."


	10. Pathfinder

-Pathfinder-

_19 hours ago_ _– Lower City – Demo Safe House – 9:32pm_

To the two Demos, my proposal still sounded crazy, no matter which way I put it. Regardless of their reluctance, at least they finally agreed to let me make my own way to the top of the fortress, as they described. Night fell, and once more, Highrell was returned to its slightly unsettling look, with the tall spires in the distance lit giving their sharp features prominence, even from the lower city.

I gathered my things; all the evidence and the train map. Food and water the Demos provided me, all in a small pouch for me to take. I stood by the front door, running through in my head which way I would have to travel once I was on the road. It would start with a left heading towards the intersection, and then I would take the route as indicated by the sign, that would lead me into middle city. As for getting past the checkpoints stationed at the lower to middle city junction, I would have Demos to assist for that. Though they called this a suicidal run and showed resentment towards what I wanted to do, they still remained adamant in at least helping me into the middle city. I guess if there was anything they owed me, it would be because of my respect for not mistreating their hospitality.

After getting past the junction, I'll just have to improvise which routes I took. But so long as I stuck to the back streets and shadows, I shouldn't be found out. The police and hunters would still be occupied with trying to cover the entire lower city. As far as they were concerned, I was only a lucky exile that managed to escape their raid, but only for a time to wonder aimlessly in the same area without help, going by the Demos well placed sources again. Funny that, I had to wonder for a moment what kind of source would have direct knowledge of hunter movements from HEA. If anything they probably had a person who was on the inside, who themselves, was a hunter.

Smith and the female neraei came into the corridor behind me as I continued to face the door.  
"Are you sure you want to do this?" the female spoke.  
"Sure as can be."  
"Nothing left that can change your mind?" Smith added.  
"No."  
We all remained crammed in the corridor as I breathed in slowly.  
"I know this is gonna sound kind of stupid, but why help me if you said it was suicide?"  
They both turned to face each other for a second.  
"Well, as much as we know that this is a bad idea, it'd be even worse if we chose not to help neraei in need at all. Especially if it's someone who carries the hopes of many and not just the hopes for themselves," said Smith, "You carry our hopes LenZ, a chance to send a message to the highest level. I get that your personal interests are with the kidnappers, but in saying that, the kidnappers are in effect related to our efforts of breaking the segregation laws, because that's exactly what they've done. With the evidence you've provided, there's no question of that. Should you succeed in bringing light to the kidnapper's origins, you may also succeed in weakening the segregation. And it's because of this; we stand by to assist you."  
Figures that they needed a reason to accompany me. Although it isn't my sole intention to go head-to-head with the segregation, I couldn't help but feel that my efforts might make a difference, in some shape or form for the better.  
"I see, I suppose I'll be wishing you luck on trying to get the word out too?"  
He nodded.  
"We've taken pictures, copies of your evidence ready for distribution. How exactly we plan to do so, that'll be another story."  
He checked his watch.  
"We should get going."  
I nodded. I turned for the door and rolled the knob. This was it.

We all stepped outside into the night's chill, my journey had started, walking down the road back to the intersection.  
"Now like I said before, we can only help you to get past their checkpoint, but after that you'll be on your own," the female quietly spoke.  
"I understand, to keep your Demo covers intact right?"  
"Right."  
We arrived at the intersection, stopping by the sign pointing in the direction of the junction. In the distance, we could faintly see some lights dotting the area, the checkpoint itself no doubt.  
"Here we go again," said Smith pulling out a small flask out of his pant pocket.  
"What's that for?" I asked.  
"Our distraction, as I'm sure you're already well acquainted with."  
He cupped his hands and let a few drops of alcohol from the flask, going by the smell, drip onto his palm. He then hastily started dabbing it all over his neck and face, finishing with a brandish of outstretched arms.  
"Convinshing?" Smith spoke putting on a drunk lisp.  
"Seemingly," I replied with a smile.  
"I'll give you two, two minutes to get as close as you can, then I'm on, then you should be off."  
"Ok, thank you Smith."  
"Anytime."  
He turned and started off on another street heading round to where the checkpoint was, I separated with the female neraei in the opposite direction to also circle round as close we could to the junction. We silently crept along the alleys until we hit the dividing wall from lower to middle. Just as the curvature of the wall was curving away, it revealed the junction and the checkpoint from the side. We could just make out in the rays of the checkpoint lights, four people stationed there, presumably hunters going by the casual clothing; two were standing by a car at the front most of the checkpoint and the other two were walking around at the back. We stopped, crouching, and waited in silence for Smith to put on some kind of diversion to shift their attention. The female neraei who was . . . hmm, come to think of it, after all this time . . .

"I never bothered to ask," I whispered to her, "what is your name?"  
She stayed silent for a moment as she took a quick peek around the wall, before quickly withdrawing.  
"You can call me Anna," She responded.  
"That's not your real name is it?"  
"No."  
"Well, thank you anyway Anna."  
She nodded at me.  
A moment passed by as the silenced continued again until . . .  
"Hellooooooooooooooo bah-oissssshhhh!"  
An obnoxious sounding cry carried well over the ears of the hunters someone in the darkness beyond. A stumbling Smith soon came into view.  
"Ahhaaa, hey, a shtreet party!"  
One of the hunters by the car stepped forward.  
"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to move along."  
"Yeah, move along to the beat, I'm with you dude!"  
Smith then started to do some slow looking moves around the hunter  
"Please leave now, this is official business," said the second by the car.  
"Offishial! It ain't looking it to me; explain all zhe pretty party lights, ehhh?"  
The hunter sighed.  
"Brennan, can you give us a hand here?"  
At this point, the hunters at the back had Smith's full attention, maybe a bit too much, as they had their hands rested on their pistols, and were slowly walking up to him.  
"You idiot, clear off! Go back or go through already!"  
"Hey, I'm allowed to walk, when I damn well want, to walk. Oooh, shweet ride."  
Smith started to idle up to their car, pretending to admire its interior. Immediately, all four of the hunters were now onto him, trying to pull him back, away from the car.  
"Ok go LenZ, now," Anna urged, "good luck."  
I stood up, and moving as fast as I could while hardly making any noise, now was my chance to run in!

My heart gained a few extra beats, as I neared from behind the commotion that was taking place. The four hunters were now busy trying to restrain Smith as he started to shout cries of protest. I snagged a view of one of the hunters pulling Smith's flask out of his hand and throwing it away.  
"You've had enough drinks pal! Go piss off somewhere else!"  
I slipped past the lights dotting the junction, back around the wall onto the other side and crouched behind some garbage bins. I could make out through the gap of the bins, Smith getting carted from the checkpoint and thrown away.  
"Argh, you guysh are noooo fun."  
Continuing his act, he got up and tripped over himself at his attempt. Steadying himself once more he stood up, and started to stumble away, giving one quick glance at the checkpoint before disappearing all together from sight. The hunters were coming back to resume their positions previously. It was time to leave and make good on giving them the slip.

I turned back to my immediate surroundings. Comparatively with lower city, middle seemed much cleaner, with even taller buildings and widening roads heading in. In the distance I could see a few cars rushing by from left to right and right to left, their headlights streaking by. It didn't look as though many cars wanted to turn down the road I was on to head down into lower city, which was good. So before that happens, I best get off street. I headed up towards where the intersection was, hoping that I would hit an alley along the way, and preferably soon. If anything, as I got closer to the intersection, there seemed to be little sign of a helpful alley anywhere. The best I could settle for was a smaller street which led off to the left before hitting the main road. I turned in, oh watch it, there was someone else who was about on the sidewalk opposite. I kept my head low as I could in my poncho as I continued to walk away. The stranger did notice me for a moment, but he simply turned his head back as he was crossing the road behind me. Nice and steady LenZ, to everyone, you're just someone who's homeless. Keep walking, don't look back.

_17 hours ago – Middle City – Transit Line 7A vicinity – Sometime in the night_

After a while of walking on small streets, I eventually had to contend with the main streets in order to make any further progress. To my own surprise, it mostly was easy going. Everyone was simply too busy to pay attention to the sidewalk when they were constantly rushing down the road with an assortment of vehicles. Though just to be safe, I continued to make sure my paws were hidden and my face was drawn slightly into my poncho. For the most part, I also stuck to being on the side of the road, where the cars were heading with me, so they could only sight the back of my head and not so much my face. Only on two occasions, did I come really close to people who were on the same sidewalk as I. Averting my head was all that I could do, and thankfully they didn't figure out who I was. Those were the only times I felt I could be in trouble.

Eventually, I came across something that caught my attention. Some stairs leading off the street, upwards towards some elevated platform. Several beams were headed out and atop of them, something was moving along, away from the platform. It generated a whirring noise with metal clunks sounding at regular intervals. Some transport perhaps? Is this the kind of transport Cairn was referring too? I looked around for some kind of sign as to what this was. At the base of the stairs leading up, I found one such sign. Pointing up, it read, "Transit Line 7A". I pulled out my train map, and panning through it, I quickly found a marker which noted the same transit line. Now I knew exactly where I was in middle city, about halfway across to reaching the upper city region. If anything, now that I've found this transit, I could make a straight shot for the upper region via the lines which were heading straight into the city. Though would I be able to hitch a ride on a train without anyone knowing? Not sure, but it'd certainly be worth checking out, especially if it'll allow me to make quicker progress the city. Also, I remember Cairn said something about sticking to the tunnels if I did manage my way onto the train system. By the sounds of it, it'd certainly be a good place to remain undetected, better then on the streets.

I climbed up the stairs quickly, trying to avoid tripping on my poncho as I went. I reached the top; about half a dozen people were waiting for the next train. Noting the signs around me which were indicating the direction of upper city, I figured continuing forwards on the track adjacent to me; I'd head straight into upper city. But first things first, what were these barriers in front of me; they had red crosses displayed on their fronts. I assume I can't simply walk in, not without some kind of pass. If I try jumping over them now, the people on the platform might take notice and spot me as an exile. I had my luck against two already, I don't think it'll hold against another six. Unless, when a train pulls in, that might serve as a loud enough distraction to slip over the barriers. That'll work.

I took a few steps back down the stairs, just to absolutely stay out of sight while I waited for a train to arrive. About five minutes later, I could hear a train trundling in; that's my cue. I poked my head up and peeked over the platform. Those waiting were now readying themselves to get on the train as it was starting to slow up. During this time, I covered the remaining steps and carried myself with my arms over the barrier, to land and hide behind a platform pillar. Taking a quick peek over at the train, it was one that was heading into the upper city. Hmmm, I can see that there would be a way to get onto the train, without anyone knowing. The train was composed of different compartments, each separate and held together with a small bridge in the gap. If I can hop onto one of those, I can just stay hidden below the windows. That's assuming the passengers don't decide to walk between the compartments, but then again, what reason would they have to change seats?

My mind was made. At the last possible moment, I'll quickly jump into the gap and hide, and ride the train along. Everyone was nearly finished with boarding and disembarking. While they were still busy, I ran for it. Within a few bounds, I was at the edge of the platform, and I sprung off towards one of the gaps. I landed it neatly on the narrow walkway, and just in time too. All the doors I heard closed, and the train shunted into motion. It jerked me a little off balance, but I held on, standing up. Hang on, I better keep my head turned away from those on the platform and out of the compartment window's sight. Hopefully they'll just think I'm another passenger. The train was quickly gaining speed, and within a few moments, I was away from the platform. Better sit down, just to keep myself stable from the train's vibrations and bumping.

How many passengers are there, that are actually on board I wonder? I was still thinking about the risk of someone crossing between compartments that might run into me, being cautious to check wouldn't hurt. I pulled out and opened my glass crafts case, taking out a small lens. I slowly angled it into the path of light coming through a compartment window. A nice reflection was produced, and by the looks, there were about, three or four people on board sitting. I checked the opposite compartment; only one here. I felt somewhat relieved that weren't so many on board. The less people there were, the less the reason they would have to look for a place to sit. I settled down. Next would be to monitor my progress into the city, by keeping a close eye on the train map. I was now destined to arrive at "Transit Line 8".

A few minutes passed by, still in the open of the city night, and I could already see another platform looming. Though the train didn't show any sign of slowing down. Soon, the platform raced by from view, the lights present were nothing but a blur. Luckily though, I did manage to make out from one of the signs on the train, the number 8. This must certainly be the right line I'm on to upper city. I checked the map, there were no other lines connected with the number 8 to 7A. Looking further ahead on the map, the first train platform that would be in upper city going along this line would go by the number 12. So in total, I'll have another three platforms to pass through before making it into upper city; numbers 9, 10C, and 11.

I wondered for a moment, why there were some platforms that had a number and a letter preceding it. I realized of course, that this was to account for other diverging lines that weren't part of the main line I was on. Oh, but if there are more lines then just this one, could this train decide to diverge of and away from upper city? I had to think carefully about this, I was now trying to consider how a city runs its transport system. Eventually I came to the optimistic conclusion that it shouldn't. Remembering back to 7A, I did see other lines, going off in other directions that, most importantly, weren't connected to the line I was currently riding on. I think the logic behind this, was that passengers on the main train line wanting to head onto the diverging lines had to transfer to a separate train, run specifically on such diverged lines. So that would mean, I wasn't going to be in danger from being on a train that would do a sharp turn back or something like that, least I could only hope not.

A few more minutes passed, and Transit Line 9 was starting to loom next. This time, I could sense a deceleration; it was going to slow down to stop. I better stand up and keep my back faced towards the platform, keep my tail tucked and arms in front. The wheels of the train screeched as it finally came to a halt, putting me off balance again. Now I was in view of the platform, and to how ever many people present there. Oh please don't notice me, please don't notice me. This was more nerve racking then when I was leaving 7A, given I was spending more time in the open on a stationary train right next to those on the platform. No wait, perhaps this isn't the best idea at all, maybe it would be better if I did sit inside the train. But really though, could it be possible to avoid being noticed? It seemed I had ruled that possibility out since 7A, but now I was thinking it could work, it all just depends on position. If I tried to come in and sit, I probably won't be able to keep my tail and paws under the poncho when it's bent. But, I don't necessarily have to sit when I'm inside the train; I could simply stand in the corner of the compartment next to a seat, keep everything tucked in as usual, and just face the door. I did see someone else stand while the train was going, so I shouldn't stick out of the crowd from standing too. It'd certainly be better then out in the open, as the seconds ticked by where I felt even more uncomfortable about standing here, on a part of the train that I was beginning to doubt many passengers would stand on.

With a quick motion of my left hand, I felt for the door latch. The door clicked, and then slowly, I slid it open. I did my best to keep my head averted from those inside who were getting themselves seated. I was in the compartment where there previously was only one person, now there were three. I slipped in, keeping my back to everyone else aboard and facing the door. Ok, I should be in the clear. The train continued to remain still, and every second that ticked by was making me feel gladder that I didn't stay outside. Finally the train shunted into action; we were moving again, and it wasn't long before I finally made it past the rest of the platforms, into upper city, with an ease of being able to remain undetected. Come to think of it, I reckon it's also to do with how everyone on board the train seemed to be quite tired at this late hour of the night.

_16 hours ago – Upper City – Transit Line 13C vicinity – Sometime in the night_

Finally, I arrived in upper city, and by this time, I had gotten quite dreary myself. The train didn't stop at 12 on my way in, but just continued past just like 8 and 10. I realized that this was a train that didn't stop at any platform which had an even number, for some reason. Regardless, it stopped at 13C which was set within a tunnel. It was time to leave. I thought about staying on the train to try to get even further into the city, but I needed somewhere to rest first. As Cairn said, assuming I get this far, it'd be best to stick to the tunnels and stay hidden.

I slipped out of the compartment door and jumped off the train onto the concrete of the tunnel, concealed behind the train from the platform. I sprinted down the tunnel as fast as I could to try and get away from the platform before my cover moved off to the next platform. I made it well into the dark of the tunnel just as the train started rushing past me; an overly loud noise from being this close. It disappeared into the distance, its rear lights fading away. I was left on my own in the darkness; walking slowly onwards as I allowed my vision to adjust, with only a few small lights dotted along the tunnel walls. Everything was quiet as I padded along by the wall. Though they'll probably be more trains to come that'll break the peace, which would probably make it difficult for me to rest through such noises. Luckily for me, I stumbled across a solution. At the base of the tunnel and the wall, was a hatch of sorts. A metal disc was presumably covering a hole down, judging by the groove in the concrete next to the disc as space to lift it. I slid my fingers underneath and attempted to lift the hefty lid upwards. Damn, this thing is sure heavy; maybe I should just try sliding it out. Slowly, the lid grinded off to the side, revealing a metal barred ladder leading down to a route filled with wires. I climbed down, sliding the lid back over me as I went with a clunk.

This tunnel comparatively was much smaller than the train tunnel above; my head was easily reaching the ceiling. It was also particularly darker; could really use a little bit of light. Luckily once again, small vents were lining the base of the train tunnel, connecting to this one. I could see some light coming in, back in the direction of Transit Line 13, the platform lights no doubt. So I headed back, keeping my head low, until I came to the beams of light. There, I noticed a gap in the lines of wires, which were held up by metal gratings, shelves by the looks. I could easily slip under the gratings and rest here for a time. Not exactly a mattress, but worth the trade in comfort, just to lie down and shut my eyes. I slid underneath the gratings, clearing as much of the cobwebs as I could, before falling into a slumber beneath the concrete and wires of upper city.


	11. Convening

-Convening-

_5 hours ago – Upper City – Transit Line 13C vicinity – 12:30pm_

". . . you're listening to Highrell's midday report, it is now 12:30 on this fine afternoon, with a pleasant top of 28 degrees. . ."  
Eh, voices?  
_Clang  
_Ow, my head. In my attempt to get up, I only lately realized that I was in fact sleeping under a metal grating. I rubbed my head, as I carefully slid myself out of the low space. Now where was that sound coming from? I peered out of a vent to spot the platform. On the platform, I could see, as well as a dozen or so people, some . . . TV's, as Smith described. There was a person talking on them. I decided to continue listening while I was collecting myself over the next hour, all the while eating a rationed lunch from my pouch. Jeez, I must have really overslept if the time was indeed 12:30 like the TV said. Eventually nearing what I assumed to be the end of the report, their recap mentioned me . . .  
". . . government segregation officials continue to convene over the growing situation of the exile breach that occurred just three days ago, in the lower city districts. HEA have been performing sweeps so far in these areas to find an exile by the name of LenZ that escaped a joint hunter-police raid. It'll be today, that the hunters will start on middle city sweeps.  
The TV was showing different views of the city as the narration continued. It showed views of the warehouse, from the inside and out, and a person with red hair and a metal shoulder plate on his right, talking to other people. Hunters I assumed they were.

The TV then switched back to the original speaker, who was starting on a different topic. I now felt reinvigorated with an urge to continue moving, the hunters were starting to catch onto the fact that I had slipped through their net in lower. A train was approaching, same line as before, I better make a move fast. But now I was in upper city, where exactly would I go? Previously, I seemed a bit vague in where or who specifically I needed to go to, I always just said I needed to be in upper city to see someone higher up, from the government perhaps. Guess I was too busy thinking about how to not get caught. I never really considered further than that. But regardless, what was I going to do?

Well for a start, I better just get on the train, continue moving deeper into the city, and hope for the best that I do eventually run across someone from the government, maybe try and find a structure that looks important, that may hold people of high power. Ha, yeah, not exactly exact, but it's the best I can think off right now. I made my way back to the ladder, climbing up and removing the lid. I hopped out of the hole; I could see train's front lights just back at the platform. Stay away from the beams of light, go to the side and hop on. And, doing just that, I was on board the train, entering one of the compartments carefully, just as everyone was filing in and getting seats. I resumed my tactic again, facing the door and keeping to the corner. It felt a bit more risky this time, given people wouldn't be as tired at this time of day, plus there were more eyes on board. Hopefully, people wouldn't try too hard to suspect whether an exile was in the upper city, riding a train. Doubt was my ally in this instance. I kept my bow of silence, looking at the map again. The main line in upper city would make a massive turn heading back into middle city, somewhere at about Transit Line 21. Hopefully before then, I'll spot something that might get me off this train to get to somewhere and someone for a talk. Inevitably, I realized, when I did meet someone, it would be the one and only time I could get word through to a higher level, before I had to turn myself in. Amuu'lia, forgive me for ending up in a prison block.

Another good hour passed, with far less people on board to my relief. I was out in the open headed for Transit Line 14, when something caught my eye. This might be the important looking structure I was thinking about earlier. Overlooking the city, I saw a massive marble looking building, with a long stretch of open stony ground at the bottom, encircling it. The building's shape looked like a blocky dome, using only cubes to make the curvature. If anything, I think that qualifies as being a place that was important. I turned back to my map to search for a platform that might let me off close by. I'd guess somewhere at Transit Line 17C or 19 would be a good bet. After passing away from Transit Line 14 into a tunnel, a ringing noise all of sudden sounded on the train.  
"Attention all passengers," a soft female voice spoke, "due to continuing maintenance on the circle line tracks, this train will stop at Transit Line 15 as its last destination. We apologise for any inconvenience."  
What? Do I have to switch trains? That would obviously mean going over the platform and perhaps waiting. I'll get caught for sure if I'm out in the open without some corner or place to hide. And I don't think I can just continue down the tunnel on foot, they'll probably be someone down there doing the maintenance as the train said. Damn, think, they must be another route that I can take remaining out of sight. I had only minutes to work something out, but then something popped into my head about their train line system.

I know for a fact that there is more than one train on the same line; at least another train must head to the even numbered transit lines. That means this train would have to somehow get off the line before the next train rolled in. The route is cut off by maintenance, so obviously not that way. So there must be another separate route used somewhere to pull trains off the main line. That'll have to be my way out. However on the map, it didn't show such routes that would allow trains to exit. Well, probably because the public wouldn't be using such routes. They have to be there.

Within the next few moments, the train pulled, and the ringing noise sounded again.  
"All passengers must vacate the train, due to continuing maintenance on the circle line tracks. We apologise again for any inconvenience."  
I slipped out of the compartment door, into the gap, and jumped off the train. I stood out of the way of the compartment gap, with my back to the train's chassis. Ok, now if such routes would exist, would they be ahead or behind? I could see some extra flashing lights further down the tunnel, which must be where the maintenance is happening, with room for the train to head down a little way to perhaps exit off somewhere. Soon though, I got my answer as to which way it was, when the train started to roll backwards. Immediately, I sprinted down the tracks, trying to keep up with my cover while I was in front of the platform. With myself out of sight, the train continued to shunt its way back. I can't see any exits; it's too dark to see. Staying low, I kept track of the train's front lights as it was pulling away. Then, slowly, the beams of light were starting to angle off. Yes, I knew it; there was another route out of here! I ran after the train as it was pulling out of view behind a curving wall into the side route.

_1 hour and 40 minutes ago – Upper City – Transit Line Train Yard – 2:50pm_

Following the train, I arrived at some kind of train yard, an area where trains were being sorted for various lines leading to who knows where. And that was the thing, I didn't know which line, out of the many lines that were in this dim area, would lead back to a route I needed to be on. Some workers were in the area, which made snooping around difficult. I was sticking to hiding behind compartment wheels and workstations throughout. Eventually I found out where the next train was heading out from, that would take me back on my intended route, going by the word of a pair of workers fastening some compartments together. Behind some greasy looking barrels, I spotted the train that was beginning to roll out. When it passes by me, I'll have to jump on it while it continues to move.  
"Hey, you!"  
I froze, was he referring to me?  
"You behind the drums!"  
Ok it was me! I didn't hear him coming over the sound of machinery and trains moving about. A beam of torchlight fell on where I was.  
"Come out of there, how many times have I told you kids to stop coming in to graffiti the place? Come out where I can see you!"  
I'm going to get discovered for sure! I stood up from behind the barrels but continued to keep my face turned. I have to stall, until that train passes by, then I can make a run for it.  
"Oh, you ain't no kid, a beggar huh."  
"Yeah, got nowhere to go."  
"Look buddy, why don't you come with me, it isn't safe with all this machinery around."  
I could hear his footsteps approach. A hand reached out and placed itself on my left shoulder, pulling me round. I could now see the worker's face, and likewise, he could see mine.

"Ok I'm not a beggar, my name is LenZ, I'm just here to . . ."  
Within seconds I could make out his face change from one of charity to one of terror.  
"You! Exile! Help me! There's an exile here!" He screamed at the top of his lungs.  
In the next few seconds two more of his workers came round the corner of a workstation. The train wasn't about to pass yet; I have to continue to stall.  
"Please, I don't mean you people harm, I came here to find my children."  
"In a train yard? You stupid animal, grab him!"  
The other two behind him were now charging for me. The train was about to pass by; I have to time this right. Argh, damn it, the worker in front, he's grabbed my pouch! He was trying to pull me towards him, but quickly, I slipped the pouch off and tried to back away. He threw down the pouch and was trying to go for me again, arms outstretched to tackle me, his two other workers right behind him. At the last second as he charged me, I dodged to the right, over the tracks, tripping over the metal but falling safely onto the other side of the line, now being covered by the train. With the workers on the other side, I got onto my paws and hands and made a mad dash sprint for a gap to jump onto. When I was ahead enough, I went back to twos and grabbed the corner of a compartment, flinging myself over onto my belly onto the gap's walkway. My tail and legs still dangling over the edge, I heaved myself up with what breath I had left. I sat myself up once I was on, back to the door. I checked around one of the compartment corners to see if I had lost the workers. Faintly, I could see them trying to keep up, but not with much success, as they soon decided to give up the chase.  
"Stop the train, stop the . . ."  
Those were the last words I heard from them as the noise and distance of the train eventually shrouded their cries. I continued to sit there breathing a sigh of relief, catching my breath. Then I realized that they knew I was in upper city, and that they'll most definitely report me to the authorities. I don't have much time if I want to make the trip to the important building.

The next station was coming, I better get inside. Though as the train's speed would have it, it simply passed Transit Line 15 moving onto 16. This train must be only stopping by even numbered platforms. Anyway, as it stands now, the hunters and police will be onto me within the hour, if not sooner. As Smith said, they'll probably use their drones and bulkheads to try and corner me. I'll have to run, run for the life of others as well as my own. I could potentially get killed in doing so, and only now it was starting to fully dawn on me how much responsibility was riding on my shoulders. I closed my eyes, and continued to breathe in and out, trying to relax, I guess as a way of preparing myself for the inevitable events to come. This was it, and I . . . oh crap! I'm already at the next platform. In my whirl of thoughts, I forgot that I was now subject to direct view from a platform of . . . oh, phew, no one's on the platform at this transit line, lucky. I bumped my head against the door in frustration for getting distracted and forgetting to watch where I was going. The train began to pull away again; come on LenZ, final platform, you can do this. In the dark tunnel again, I thought it'd be best that I actually went into a compartment before I completely forget again about the next platform. I stood up, clicked the door latch, and slid the door aside, before quietly stepping inside. I pulled the usual quiet routine as I checked the compartment . . . oh my goodness!

Only one person stood in this compartment, but it was one who wore an orange, neck covering jumper, with a gun holstered on her side. Her hair had with streaks of white and she wore brown gloves. This was a hunter, and in a flash, I realized that this was the very same hunter I saved from the warehouse, from Kraun's attempt to murder her! I had to force myself to not gasp out loud at this. I stood frozen for seconds, but I came to when something caught my eye to my left. A billboard, with a drawing of my face on paper saying "WANTED". I turned and quickly ripped the sheet off. I read it, and it was apparently asking for 100,000 for my capture. Damn, they really were desperate to catch me now, which includes the hunter standing a few metres away from me. I can't go back the way I came, she might take notice of me trying to get out of the train from where I just came in. I have to get past her to the other side. As a distraction I crumpled and dropped the paper, and in a few short and quiet bounds, I was right behind her carefully sneaking by. She took notice of my distraction, her gaze fixed on the paper I just dropped. She seemed to sigh in denial from seeing things; good enough for me. Now just a few more steps and I'll be out of her way.  
_BANG!_

Woah! I jolted in surprise from something loud going off right next to me. My ears were ringing; I felt some kind of sensation running over my neck. Then I realized it was a bullet fired from a gun that narrowly missed me and smashed a hole into the side of a window, glass was everywhere. I turned around, and as I unfortunately figured, the hunter had drawn her pistol, her blue eyes angrily fixed on me. All I could do was to stare back in a nervous stance, still crouched over . . . for the moment.

_Present Day – Middle City – HEA Headquarters – 4:31pm_

"And the rest is history," I concluded.  
By this time of the day, I finished explaining my story to the interrogating hunters, I felt tired, maybe something to do with my wound. Everything I had was laid out on the table in front. Everything was explained, except for the part in my story to do with meeting the Demos, I thought it best to keep that out, just to keep them safe. I simply said instead that I snuck by the checkpoints in lower city on my own while the hunters were distracted by a random drunk guy.

I sat there with Kyu sitting opposite me still looking over the evidence. Tanan was behind leaning against the wall, and Nina was standing by the door. All was quiet.  
"So, what's going to happen to me?" I asked.  
"Still working on that," Tanan said, continuing to stare at me.  
"Is there anything else you can tell us about this invisible fabric you obtained?" Kyu asked.  
"Not much, I . . . ," I paused for a moment trying to breath, "I know for a fact that we can't produce such materials."  
As I tried to breathe again, I felt a twinge of pain run up my back from the wound I sustained. I looked down my side, some blood was dripping onto the floor. Tanan finally took notice.  
"Ah, shit, Nina, can we get someone to clean up this mess."  
"I'm on it," she replied leaving the room.

My vision was going ever so slightly blurred, I must be about to faint from blood loss. Help just couldn't come soon enough. Though by now, I was also starting to have a strong hunch about the help I was about to get. Nina came back into the room with a red bag of sorts, pulling out some white cloth.  
"Lift your shirt."  
I pulled up my shirt and she started with wiping away any of the excess blood, cleaning the wound with alcohol; quite the sting. Nina quickly finished with a few tight wraps of a bandage, putting pressure on my waist. Then she quickly went to cleaning up the blood spilt on the floor. But while Nina was doing so this close to me, I quickly went back to my hunch, silently peering into her eyes . . . As I thought.

"Hmm, Kyu, can I talk to you a minute, Nina stay here and watch him," Tanan spoke, walking to the door.  
"Right."  
Kyu stood up, leaving the evidence on the desk and the room with Tanan. They closed the door, their footsteps subsided, and I was left alone with Nina who was standing by the door again.  
"So," I began, "I take it your real name, is in fact Nina, not Anna."  
She stood there with a blank face. Slowly, she leaned by the window of the door, checking outside, before returning to me.  
She nodded.  
"Thanks for leaving me out of the story."  
"No worries."  
Nina walked over to the opposite chair and sat down with me. This must be the source of the Demos well placed sources.  
"It is fortunate that we can talk again. Forgive me, but I probably should've told you before you left. I believe your exact friends, are currently being held here."  
My eyes widened, the news making me a little more awake.  
"That Kraun guy of yours, I don't exactly trust him after almost killing Kyu, had it not been for your intervention."  
"Is Kyu part of the Demos too?"  
"No, but she is a close friend of mine."  
"Does she know about you and the Demos?"  
"No."  
We both sat there silently for the moment; it was just the two of us in the heart of HEA, surrounded by dozens of hunters.  
"I don't trust Kraun either; I honestly didn't know what his intentions were for coming here initially. Since then, it had been difficult to cope with his attitude."  
"He wasn't exactly happy when we locked him in a cell. We had to take the precaution of keeping him separate from the other prisoners."  
"Hmm, prison, is there where I'm destined to go?"  
"I can't say for sure, that's up to the judge to decide. But whatever happens, I want you to know that we'll be continuing to work the kidnapping cases through. Since you managed to shed light for HEA, the Demos might yet get the much needed, indirect help to get to the bottom of the kidnappers."  
"Could've been better if I made it directly to the government itself."  
"Well, we could try with difficulty to pass the message along through HEA, though yes, it still would have been better if you gave evidence directly instead of going through the red tape that often surrounds exile related cases. You feel any better?"  
I nodded.  
"Much appreciated."  
Nina turned to face the door and checked from her seat if anyone was coming back.  
"What do you suppose they're talking about?" I asked.  
"Probably Kyu's promotion, at any rate."  
After a few more moments, footsteps were starting to approach. Nina quickly stood up and back by the door as Tanan came in.

"Alright, get him in a cell; we'll finish our talk tomorrow. Kyu, you can head home, we'll take it from here. Enjoy the reward."  
"Thanks, see you tomorrow."  
Tanan gave a short wave at Kyu somewhere outside before turning back to me.  
"Up you get."  
I stood up, and took a few weak steps around the table doing my best to support myself. My legs still felt shaky from running and the blood shortage. Nina came over to support me into the corridor. We proceeded down past all the interrogation rooms, down a flight of stone steps at the other end. Underground, we came across a barred metal gate. Tanan took out a plastic card and swiped it through a machine next to the door. The red light on the machine turned from red to green, the door clanked open. Heading inside, there was a line of metal barred cells, housing various prisoners. One of which I immediately recognized.  
"Ha, how did your shit plan go LenZ?! Was it worth turning traitor on your kind, knocking me out?! You traitor filth, when I get my hands on you, I swear I'll wrangle your neck until I . . . !"  
The rest was pretty self-explanatory, I faced Kraun who seemingly stood as a completely different neraei from the last time I saw him. He'd grown more facial hair, his eyes were more bloodshot and his face was furrowed with wrinkles of frustration. Kraun didn't look to be physically well. Passing him by, there came a sight I was so happy to see. Monique was lying down on Clovis's lap on a bench, who sadly seemed had broken his left arm. Zoe sat in the corner by the bench, head staring into the cell ceiling, with her right eye bruised. She was the first to notice me coming by their cell.

"LenZ!"  
Zoe rushed over to the cell door as it was being opened by Tanan with a metal key. She took over holding me as I came inside. Monique had woken and was inquiring as to what happened to me. The cell door shut behind us, Tanan left, but Nina lingered for a moment as she watched, with a slight smile on her face, our reunion. She left us alone shortly afterwards.  
"Where have you been?" Clovis asked.  
"Running, trying to find help as I promised."  
"We thought you were dead, they didn't say anything about you having escaped or been captured at all," said Zoe.  
Monique who was still inspecting me, noticed the bandage around my waist.  
"You're hurt."  
"Yeah, it was on a train, what happened to you Clovis?" I asked, gesturing towards his arm.  
"Ah, well, when they found us at the warehouse, I was one of the first to get tackled to the ground. "  
"Oh."  
"Did you have any luck finding help?"  
I nodded.  
"There's a group called the Demos," I said, keeping my voice down, "they're a group are opposed to the segregation. I was speaking to one of them just now."  
"Wait, here?"  
Monique handed me a cup of water from a nearby basin. I took a sip, sitting myself down on the bench.  
"Yes, I'll explain."  
Though the conversation following wasn't one in the best of lights, literally given the dimly lit cell, I still couldn't help but feel so happy, sitting with my friends again.


	12. University

-University-

" * * * "

_Upper City – Alistra Apartments – 7:20am_

_Beep beep . . . beep beep . . .  
_Ah, that time of day again. Shuffling through the quilts, I lazily lifted my hand, landing it on the alarm button before rolling onto my back again. I blankly stared at the ceiling for a minute. I'll have to be at uni today, exam revisions. I rubbed my eyes through the sheets which lay over my face, letting of a sigh. Better get this over with then.

I sat up, peering out the door of my bedroom, into the main seating and kitchen area. Beyond that were the paneled windows lining the outside of my apartment, opening up to a cityscape sunrise. The rays of light, flooding all the way into my room, and upon the untidy mess I had made with my clothes and homework. I started to jump out of the bed, but midway through, I felt a knot form in my left shoulder. Ugh, must've slept on the wrong side of bed or something. Or rather, that might've been when LenZ grabbed me off that train. I shook it off as best as I could while I got changed; it'd be the usual outfit as always, the same I wore from yesterday, when I was with LenZ. I can't be assed right now to try and sort through this mess for a different set of clothes.

I walked out into the kitchen and got myself some breakfast; two slices of strawberry jammed toast and a glass of milk. With the plate and glass in both hands, I elbowed the balcony sliding door open, and stepped out into the high rise breeze. I scoffed and sculled my breakfast down as quickly as I could while I took in the morning view; I'll need the time to get down to the university that I could just make out way in the distance. Brushing my crumbs over the edge, I went back inside and dumped the plate and glass into the sink, and came back to the bedroom to scoop together as much of my homework as I had done.

Let's see, some stuff on proteins and polysaccharides, a few rough workings to do with differential equations and some revision notes. Ok, best be off then. I folded it all into my carry bag and then hurried out the front door into the 8th floor hallway. I locked my apartment, and went over to wait for the next elevator down. How much time do I have?  
I pulled out my phone, flashing it on for a second to read, it was 7:54am. I don't want to have to wait for the later train; I'd rather be . . . not, on a train, actually. The last time I was on one, I blew it up, all with LenZ being chased down. I let off a sigh of frustration at his name again. I should probably just stop thinking about that exile; I've already got enough on my hands with university exams coming my way, just for now at least . . . ah elevator. I stepped in, the doors shut. Anyway, if I don't feel like boarding a train, then I can always just take a cab anyway.

_Upper City – The University of Upper Highrell – 8:41am_

Leaving the cab behind by the university, I ran through the campus's front gates. Damn that traffic wasn't very helpful at all, I'm a little late. West wing, that'll be where they'll hold the biology lecture revisions, first thing for today. I entered the red paneled building which had glass prisms laced throughout its structure as its windows. A left and right turns and one flight of stairs and I finally reached the lecture theatre. I took a second to catch my breath, brushing aside a bit of my loose fringe. I entered as quietly as I could, as Professor Miles at the front continued his presentation to the rest of the students numbering about a dozen. I could just make out in the dim light of the theatre, Nina sitting in the 3rd row. I gave a short wave, and came by to sit next to her.  
"Hey," Nina whispered.  
"Hi."  
"Bit late from yesterday?"  
"Guess you could say that."  
We turned our attention back to the professor, pitching in some focus.  
". . . And so what we find back in this early nereailiphic period of evolution, is that our ancestors don't actually have the same sort of genetic traits that neraei kind today possess. As far as we were concerned the cat and wolf species would've continued to remain separate, lest it be for some crucial variables which would allow evolution to change its direction. Can anyone tell me what these variables were?"

"The Hemisphere Eruption," someone answered from behind.  
"Yes, which did what precisely?"  
"It changed the climate, which altered the cat-wolf ecosystems."  
"Exactly, climate change, which altered cat-wolf ecosystems by changing the way food chains operated for most living things upon this planet. The change would last for the next few centuries while the eruptions were still trying to burn themselves out, until it was enough for the planet's atmosphere to clear. So during this time, our ancestral occupants would have been forced to adapt, to account for the new extreme conditions. And it would be through such adaption that two separate genetic traits would merge together. Essentially, through the coexistence of two completely separate species. Now, the next question is, how would these two sides be able to interact so well if they hadn't exactly known each other for very long in such a relationship?"  
There was a pause as everyone was trying to figure out the reason why. Nina came first with an answer.

"Because both cat and wolf species share pack instincts."  
"Exactly, pack instincts. Although bear in mind this would only apply to a small percentage of both cat and wolf sub-species that would actually go through such interactions, about 7%. The other 93% would not give a damn about each other. But regardless, the foundation was made as both sides bred and prospered, even after the Hemisphere Eruption finally cleared. The best of both species would continue to come together, creating newer sub-species of furred and non-furred, cat like and wolf like, bipeds, with many variations thereupon between all four aspects."  
The professor paused for a moment as he took a sip from his bottle on the desk.  
"Now of course, if you took a little bit of history in school, then we all know that this is no longer true as a result of the segregation. Which, remarkably, it showed how alterable genetics could be if you were to physically separate these traits all together. Non-furred here, only to reproduce non-furred, and furred on the other side, only to reproduce furred. As a result, it would allow for geneticists to remain certain in their theory that feral devolution would not occur as a result of the continued contact of furred neraei, which is the very theory which set the wars in motion, as sad as it is to say."

He strode round back behind his desk, and began to eye me directly.  
"Now enough from me for the moment about neraei evolution, let's hear from our prodigy hunter about those who are furred. Kyu, I heard recently it was you that helped to bring in an exile that was loose in upper city, by the name of LenZ, yes?"  
"That's right."  
Seriously, did I have to talk about him?  
"A commendable deed Kyu, for keeping him off our streets by the way, I'm sure we can all appreciate. Now, you're welcome to not divulge anything, especially if it goes against your job, but could you perhaps tell us what features made him a challenge to catch?"  
I cleared my throat.  
"Um, LenZ, as it were, he was difficult to catch, namely because of his speed. He was able to shift around us at the warehouse because of his ability to go on all fours."  
The professor started the write on the whiteboard the words, "Double joints".  
"He made it into upper city, which means he must have good survival instincts, especially to keep from being seen."  
"Mhm, yes, that's a good one," Professor Miles said, writing on the board, "Survival instincts".  
"That's, all I can really think off."  
"Ok, good, let's talk about these two traits."  
The Professor then went on about how the furred have the advantage of speed and efficiency with double joints in comparison to non-furred, but more so went on about how survival instincts played a deeper role for them, then for us. He linked that these deeper survival instincts were exactly what links them to having fur in the first place, an accompanying component, as he described. So, ultimately with all these biological comparisons, we were more of the at-a-distance problem solver, then the in-the-field survivalists outside the wall, he concluded.

Thankfully after that section of the lecture, I didn't need to supply anything else about LenZ. I really don't want to have to keep thinking about one lone exile, it's getting on my nerves. Again, Kyu, you have exams, don't forget that. And at least try to stop thinking about LenZ until I was actually at HEA later on today. The lecture was soon over after our hour had gone by, so I could leave now. Although, if all this LenZ business was still really making me troubled, maybe I could ask Professor Miles a few questions about him to put my mind at ease. Thus far for the day, I'd been constantly feeling uneasy. Not only because I was thinking about him too much in light of what I had to revise for at uni, but I guess it's also because I've been trying cope with why LenZ was this . . . anomaly, in my view of what exiles were. Since I first came face to face with him, from the warehouse till today, he showed that he was certainly smarter, then he looked.  
"That seems like a narrow way of looking at it, do you go about viewing everyone as a stereotype?"  
That was what LenZ said, and perhaps he was right. By definition of what exiles were, they were creatures who were furred, that operated with a more basic knowledge of survival. But, he obviously didn't fit that description, or rather, stereotype. Though then again, perhaps it really isn't all that surprising. I'm 21, and only have been working in HEA for two years. I haven't exactly got much experience in the field for these sorts of matters, it wasn't something I had the luxury to think about when I was still a young hunter prodigy, until now.

As it still stands today, HEA had been keeping its eyes out for anyone that might aid their muscle around the city, anyone with a natural talent for hunting. I was of a wolf line and had a family background that dealt with hunting exiles as a job. My dad, now retired, worked for HEA for decades. So that, and me being the young pup I was, it meant I was ideal at easily learning the arts of a hunter. It is one job that I still am very happy to follow, following my dad. I remember he said that being a hunter was a tough job because you had to sometimes deal with exiles you can never fully predict. I think this might be my first time with such people. Either way, whether this was true or not, I needed some help about LenZ. Nina was passing by me.

"You go on ahead, I just need to ask him something," I said to Nina, gesturing to Professor Miles.  
"Ok, see you at math's then?"  
"Yeah."  
Nina filed out with the others, I idled up to the professor's desk.  
"Excuse me, professor, I was just wondering about something."  
"Hmm, yes?"  
"I've had the experience of stopping many exiles, but I've never before had the experience of stopping an exile that was, well, smart, very smart."  
"This to do with that LenZ?"  
"Yeah, for him, I never would've thought he'd be the smart type. Simply put, I don't know what to think of him. He doesn't seem to fit the description of being a furred who wasn't smart, but was . . ."  
He continued to stare back at me, behind his glasses, I bet he hadn't a clue about what I was saying.  
"Bah, never mind, it's hard to explain."  
"No no, please do tell. I might be a professor, but that doesn't mean I can't learn."  
Ok, but how was I really going to word my confusion? I paused while thinking.  
"Well tell me, what is this, evidence. What is the evidence that drives you into thinking that something is out of place with this particular exile? If that's alright with you to say that is."  
"Nah, it's ok."  
I took a breath, and thought of my next answer.  
"While I was at the warehouse, I was almost shot," I said pausing for breath, "and then just yesterday I was almost killed by a train. Both those times it would've been over, but . . . LenZ was there, he saved me, and for both those times. And that's still something I don't get. Well, I do get it, he gave me reasons, one of them was out of, compassion, yet I'm still confused."  
The professor took a moment to nudge his glasses back up a bit while he sighed.  
"Look, maybe I shouldn't bother you with this stuff, I might just talk to a shrink right?"  
"Perhaps, I never would've imagined."  
"Yeah."  
We stood there silent for a moment as I watched him trying to take it all in.

"Quite often we run into areas of science where things are unknown, or are known but only serve to contradict our knowledge. To solve this, we devise a new hypothesis that can best explain the situation, hopefully. You're young, and there is much that can be new to you, like LenZ. Simply put, trust in what you feel LenZ is, and if you're wrong, they'll be room for you adjust. That's, all I think I can really say."  
"Right."  
"Though, if you want my hypothesis on this, it could be LenZ is an exile that's in the rarer section of all exiles born, the section where they can be smarter, and perhaps are better adapted. Really, just because we have a theory about what exiles are, doesn't mean it's proven. You know the saying Kyu?"  
"Nothing in science is ever proven, only justified."  
"Exactly, he could be just that little bit we have to justify our thoughts for. And there's nothing wrong with that."  
"I see."  
I smiled, feeling a little less queasy about LenZ for once.  
"Hey look, I'll have to rush off to a meeting in a few minutes, I hope I helped."  
"Yes, thank you professor."  
"No worries, you take care now, and please be bit more careful. I don't want to see one of my pupils not turning up because they got shot or run over."  
"Don't worry professor, I won't, no way will I be missing those exams."  
"Ok, see you around."  
"Bye."  
Professor Miles left the lecture theatre, carrying his folders and notes with him, I followed.

_Middle City – HEA Headquarters vicinity – 1:16pm_

Math's passed by uneventfully, boring as usual. I stayed behind for a time to collaborate on some notes Nina and I had both taken down for our exams. It certainly helped, just as much as that talk I had with the professor. I felt like I was treated of my temporary train-phobia from this morning, enough anyway so that I could board the circle line again to middle city for our afternoon at HEA. It still felt awkward riding along, but I held my calm. Arriving at Transit Line 17C, Nina and I continued to walk down the street approaching our headquarters.  
"You sure you're alright?" Nina asked.  
"Fine, why?"  
"You know, yesterday."  
"Yeah, I'm good, don't worry. I might've come close to getting killed, but that's just occupational health and safety right?"  
"I guess so."  
"Anyway, the investigation was my idea, so it'd seem silly if I didn't turn up for it."  
"You going to be the one to talk to LenZ again?"  
"Sure, I'm probably the only hunter he'll be the most comfortable with."  
We turned and headed up the stairs through the glazed doors, into the lobby and onto the main floor. The place was busy, hunters going to and fro, I could see Tanan by the central hub talking on the phone.

". . . Do you or do you not have the paperwork to take them or not? . . . Well do you or not?! . . . Just answer the damn question! Don't give me your assurance crap. Until I see the papers they are not yours. They are exiles, so they fall under HEA jurisdiction. . . . Yes please do, if you want them so bad, have the paper on my desk. . . . Ok, Bye!"  
Tanan hung up with a slam. He turned his fumed face in our direction.  
"Hey what's up?" he said.  
"Um, Hi. Was that the police?"  
"What? Oh, yes him he . . ."  
He stopped mid-sentence to click his fingers at a passing hunter.  
"Brennan, would you mind getting Kyu's new sidearm over here."  
"Sure boss."  
Tanan sighed.  
"Ugh, I'd much rather talk to you about your promotion then this police prisoner exchange, bull-honky."  
"Prisoner exchange?" I queried.  
"Yeah, ever since we released our preliminary report to the police about LenZ and his accomplices, they've been persistent in trying to get him exchanged to their station for further interrogation. Quite frankly I don't see any damn reason why; they could just ask them any question they wanted answered through us."  
Nina and I looked at each other.  
"Under what reason?" Nina asked.  
"They said that because he and the others know in great detail about the kidnappings, and that there's the possibility of this being a domestic related issue, they seem to think that it comes under their domestic jurisdiction. But as they are exiles, they still belong to us, full stop."  
"So are they aren't going to be transferred?"  
"Depends, but I'd say yes. At the very least, we'll have a few days to look into this before they somehow get the paper work through to the government for LenZ's group transfer. Ah here we are."  
Brennan had returned with my new pistol. It had similar shades of red and black just like my old one, but its shape looked slightly more bulk. It obviously didn't come with the jingles I once had attached, but instead there was a compact torch which attached beneath the barrel. The sides had small blades folded in, which folded out for melee situations or to allow the pistol to cool as it discharged an electrical bolt. Tanan passed me the pistol's handle, I grasped it, quickly getting an idea of its weight  
"It's pretty much the same as your older model, but it's tweaked so discharges are slightly more efficient, plus there's the torch attachment."  
"Right."  
After taking one quick glimpse down its sights and checking to see that it was loaded, I slipped it into my once empty holster.  
"Hope it serves you well."  
"Thanks."

"So, shall we start our interviews?" said Tanan.  
"Yes, lets," I answered.  
"Alrighty, Brennan you can help us with this."  
Tanan turned on his heels to lead us through the interview rooms down into the cells again. Within Kraun's cell he was tired and lying down. His malevolent behavior over the past few days appeared to have worn him down to the point where he couldn't complain any longer.  
"I doubt we can talk to him," I quietly said as we passed Kraun.  
"We can each do one of the other four, I can start with Zoe," Tanan offered.  
"I can do LenZ," I said.  
"Monique for me," Nina quickly responded.  
"Ok, which leaves Clovis for you Brennan," concluded Tanan.  
Brennan nodded. We came by the exiles cell. LenZ was standing around, having mostly recovered from his back injury. He stood, waiting by the bars, heeding our arrival, as well as everyone else.

"More questions for the lot of ya, some one-on-one," spoke Tanan.  
Tanan opened the cell, the jailed filed out. I took LenZ by his left elbow as we all headed back up the stairs to the interview rooms. Each pair of hunter and exile took a separate room from each other. I took room 6.  
"Sit."  
LenZ idled over to the same seat as from before; I locked the door, and then I sat down facing the quiet LenZ again. His face was peaceful, as he patiently waited for me to speak.


	13. Unravelling

-Unravelling-

"So, what questions do you have left for me?" LenZ asked.  
"I'm asking them, not you."  
He dipped his head down a little. If anything was going to happen while I was with LenZ, it'd be me who was calling the shots. I made a resolve, when I agreed to take him on before arriving at HEA, that an anomaly like LenZ wasn't going to throw me off. I thought of my first question, but just as I was about to push that question onto him, he pulled something out of his pocket.  
"What are you doing? I thought we cleaned your belongings out."  
"You did, but these aren't mine."  
He placed small mystery items on the table in front of me. What the hell kind of magic trick was LenZ pulling?! What was on the table, which shouldn't have been possible, was a jail key and a security key card. He could've used these things to open his cell and escape the jail all together. Why would he simply just hand them over to me?  
"You can have them back, I have no interest in escaping, I'm still here because of the kidnappings."

Now I was thrown off, again!  
"What are you trying to pull here?"  
"Nothing, I told you, I and everyone else for that matter, have no interest in escaping. Besides, do you really think we'd get that far?"  
"Then why did you steal these, and how?"  
"I didn't, it was in the middle of the night that we just found them in our cell."  
"Really?"  
"Yes."  
"Why would anyone try to help you exiles escape, by just passing you the key and card?"  
"I don't know, sounds absurd doesn't it, ask one of your hunters perhaps."  
"Did you see who it was?"  
"No, we were all asleep, least until someone knocked on the bars, that was when we woke up and found these."  
Great, so now there was someone from within HEA, that couldn't be trusted with keeping exiles in their cell. I doubt it would be some random stranger that decided to waltz in, they'd have to contend with hunters that were working here as part of their night shift. This can only mean that it was someone within HEA that was responsible for trying to spring LenZ and his group. The question was, who?

"Who's trying to help you?"  
"No one," he said with a frown.  
"And why do I doubt that?"  
Silence fell for a moment, and for once, he looked to have look of nervousness, even if it was only a twitch worth.  
"Look, whoever it was that tried to get us using those things, they wouldn't have been helping us at all. Like I said, do you really think we could've made it past any of your hunters? With injuries?"  
"No, I suppose not."  
I continued to look at the cell key and key card in my hands. Though this was a surprise, I wouldn't be able to do anything about it, not until I talked to Tanan about this. In which case, I better get back to the kidnappings themselves. LenZ had given a detailed story about his ventures, but there were certain specifics I wanted to know.  
"I'll look into this later, I guess I have you and your friends to thank for actually staying put."  
"You're welcome."  
I pocketed the key card and cell key.  
"Now about the kidnappers . . ."  
The part of his story I recently thought about, was to do with the kind of technology the kidnappers were using. The more advanced the technology, the more we could narrow down the search for their manufacturer.  
". . . You said they were using some form of invisibility, camouflage, yes?  
"Yeah."  
"How much of this camouflage fabric were they using? How were they covering themselves with it?"  
He had to think for a moment before answering.  
"It was covering them completely, from top to bottom, like if you just plopped a blanket on your head, the way it would rest over you, that's how they looked."  
Hmmm, that much fabric huh?  
"And how many of them were there?"  
"I couldn't keep my eye on all of them very well, but I'd guess, about five, or six."  
For just one camouflage set to be in use in such remote areas, that would've been hard enough. But to have five or six, that would logistically be a nightmare, if not bloody expensive to get, and that's not even mentioning the darts and guns. Even for us fellow hunters, we have only two sets sitting in the armoury, PMC's we called them, Photo Meta Cloaks, which I believe was what LenZ was seeing.

"We certainly manufacture them in Highrell, PMC's are their abbreviated name. But they're only for high end organisations like us, which seems very, awkward if you ask me."  
"Awkward?"  
"Yes, given how unlikely it is for such technology to make it outside. And you said before that you saw single jointed legs?"  
"Yes I did."  
I continued to stare into his eyes, his gaze never shifting in attention. This was the sort of crap that you couldn't just make up on your own if he was fibbing. Which for once, if this was all a lie, it would be simpler then the truthful alternative. That alternative being that someone, probably high up in Highrell, has easy access to technology, neraei muscle and money, for them to continue pulling off kidnappings over months. But for what motive, ransom money? No, if they could afford that much tech in the first place, they wouldn't need to bother trying to get more money to begin with. Unless, was a smuggler group? No, fat chance for even them to get their hands on such a thing, it's practically like a closely guarded city secret that it's that hard to get, for special uses only.  
"Who in god's name would have that much power, even if this did originate in Highrell, who?"  
"You tell me," He simply replied.  
I had given thought to the possibilities which would seem civilian based, but that was smaller in comparison to what I now was starting to think. Could this go as high as, the military? It could make sense that this was somehow, some kind of special operation. No, but that would mean an arm of the government was breaking the segregation that it created in the first place, there's no way they would. Or could they? If somehow, the answer was yes, why? What would they stand to gain? That just doesn't make any sense, not from looking at the surface of the issue. An awkward silence of sorts hung over us.

"Alright, we're probably thinking it, so I'm just going to say it; could it be your government?" LenZ pointedly asked.  
". . . Maybe," I sharply said.  
"Are they the most likely source for what's happening?"  
"Is everything you're telling me a lie?"  
"No."  
"Cos in all honesty, I find this all very hard to buy in case you haven't figured it out yet."  
"Is it easier to believe in a simple lie then the complicated truth?"  
"Shove that blissful ignorance crap up your ass."  
"So, you do believe in truth?  
"Yes, but only if it makes sense!"  
"Neither of us knows the whole sense behind what's happening; an incomplete picture can easily be misunderstood as lies."  
"Don't you dare try to lecture me on the very grounds I'm trying to put you through."  
LenZ sighed.  
"What if this is true, no matter how hard it is to believe, would you really . . ."  
"Now you're the one trying to prod me?"  
"It would seem so, yes."  
"How can you possibly consider yourself any higher than me to do so?"  
"Because . . . I'm a father to six children, and I want them all home and safe again."  
I averted my gaze elsewhere, not wanting to look into the face of an exile that'd so easily question my home and patronise me on philosophy and ethics.  
"By trade, I am a glass maker, I can create panes and lenses where I come from, do you at least believe me on that?  
I'd seen him and his utensils in action for doing glass work back at the warehouse. I could at least be sure that such a talent would be part of such a trade. I slowly faced him again, crossing my arms.  
"Yes."  
"Do you really think, I would be the sort of person who'd just, run away from that, unless it was to save family?"  
". . . No."  
"Then at least, so you can protect your family and home, you have to believe me."  
Hmm, just like I reasoned with Tanan yesterday. I said looking into this at least would be in the city's best interests, to prevent a possible crimes group from appearing. Someone knocked on the door and came into the interview room.  
". . . Huh? Oh, um, Kyu, do you know which room Tanan went in?" said the intruding hunter.  
"Err, yeah, room 2, I think it was."  
"Ok, thanks."  
Quickly, the hunter left and shut the door behind him. I turned my attention back to LenZ.

"You probably picked the hardest sort of people to gain trust from; between the bounty and hunter."  
"I know."  
I shuffled in my seat and let off a sigh, venting my anger.  
"Alright, let's say that this is hypothetically true, my government being the group that's coursing, all this. What reasons can you think off for why?"  
". . . I guess a clue would be the use of memory wipes on some of the kidnapped who returned. Even after being set free from all the way outside of your walls, they still felt like taking no chances about what our settlements might do if we understood what the kidnapped went through, had they retained memories. So they go to extreme lengths to cover their trail by wiping minds."  
LenZ leaned forward, hand on chin, elbow on desk.  
"Could this information be so relevant to us furred? Information in which, if we did know, we could easily take action against? Could that be why they don't want us to know? Because it might lead to us to what their plans are?"  
"Only one thing comes to my mind that could be significant to you in terms of intellectual property. Perhaps it's related to the segregation itself."

So I might be going against people who are of a higher power, but I'm simply doing my job of keeping Highrell's streets safe. What crime is there in that?  
"Right, that might be it."  
"We're only talking hypothetically here remember."  
"Yes of course."  
If anything with this interview, we were now playing detectives.  
"What about on your end?" LenZ then asked.  
"My end of what?"  
"While the kidnappings were occurring, were there any strange happenings in the city?"  
"No I don't think so; we didn't get any word of unusual movements around the city."  
But then something clicked in my mind. That phone call Tanan was getting angry about from the police, they were demanding a transfer of the exiles who were at that warehouse. And this was only after a report was given which mentioned the kidnappings, supplied by LenZ. Normally, the police pretty much left us alone to mind our own cases, but for some reason this case allowed for an exception. This leads me to arrive at something else to do with this whole government conspiracy theory. HEA was a joint task force, which was founded by the remnants of the segregation war, which ran mostly separate from what little government there was at the time, all the way up till now. The police on the other hand are a definite, direct arm of the government. That could explain why HEA wasn't aware of the kidnappings before LenZ arrived, but how the police could still know about it before we ever did, allowing them jump onto our report quickly to order exile transfers. And why? To perhaps try and perform a cover up, for whatever deeper reasons they may have.

I explained to LenZ my latest hunch.  
"Hmmm, if the police are trying to get to Clovis, Monique, Zoe and myself, for basically knowing too much . . ."  
He trailed off, he was staring at me, slightly wide eyed.  
"What?"  
". . . What about you?" LenZ said in a worried tone, "If HEA didn't know about this before, would they allow HEA to know about it now?"  
Although I knew this was hypothetical, it still sounded eerie. I could barely imagine how this would involve Nina, Tanan and the rest of the hunters. Or maybe I can. This theory could've involved Tanan with that phone call, but what about with which ever hunter it was that tried to hand LenZ's group their freedom. This odd happening, again, centred over those who knew about the kidnappings. Now the chances of his group which were partly injured, making it past the hunters stationed at night, would've indeed been small, which would be true, because they would've most likely been shot on sight and . . .  
"Covered up!" I blurted.  
"Exactly, they'd . . ."  
"No hang on, go back to when a hunter tried to break you guys out, if you exiles were shot by us while trying to escape, wouldn't that benefit in covering up the kidnappings?"  
". . . Yeah, you thinking a hunter could be in on what the police are also trying to do?"  
"Exactly, he might've actually been in league with the police."  
"So then, they'd know everything that was happening here, including these interviews."  
"So what would they do when they know this?"  
They rang Tanan, after the report, after these interviews, what then? I was now finding it extremely difficult to keep telling myself that this was all just hypothetical; everything seemed to fit into place!

The police could easily respond right now if they wanted to . . . No wait, that other hunter from earlier, it can't be a coincidence. He came into this room asking for Tanan.  
"Why would he have asked for Tanan while he was in an interview?" I quietly mumbled.  
Only if something was more important, occurring right now.  
". . . I don't think this is hypothetical anymore LenZ."  
I clutched my pistol as I stood up and walked over to the door.  
"Where are you going?" LenZ said, standing up also.  
"Hey, sit down, I'll be right back. Don't you try to leave this room."  
". . . Alright." said LenZ as he slowly sat back down.  
I could see his tail was drooped quite low, he was feeling very nervous. I opened the door, stepping out into the hallway. I peered down both ways before locking room 6, and then I quickly moved to the interview room Tanan was at . . . Or rather, where he used to be. I briefly caught a glance of Zoe only when I peeked inside. Where did he go? I jogged back down the hallway again into the hunter's floor. Everyone was as always, going about their usual business, but I couldn't sight Tanan amidst the clamber of hunters. Finally though, I spotted Tanan who was out in the lobby area, talking to three police officers judging by their uniform. What they doing here? I went by and leaned against the doorway, making sure I stayed out of sight while I eavesdropped.

". . . You've seen the forms, now bring them out here so we can transfer them into police custody," came a soft male voice.  
"You still haven't told me, how the bloody hell you managed to get these forms past the court so quickly!" said Tanan grudgingly.  
"Does it matter, hand them over, now."  
"Tell me about the forms first."  
"Are you disobeying orders for an exile transfer by a court of law, sir?"  
"No, but I don't like the looks of the channels you may have used for this."  
"Sir, we're going to have to ask you to step aside if you refuse to cooperate," said a female voice.  
"I'm not the one here who isn't cooperating, I just want one simple god damn answer; how did you get these forms through so fast?"  
I heard enough, I stepped into the lobby.  
"What's going on?" I asked.  
"I'm not exactly sure," Tanan replied.  
"This is none of your concern hunter," the lead male officer said.  
"None of my concern? It is in fact my concern, because I'm currently trying to carry out an interview with LenZ is why."  
"Then consider your investigation suspended as off now, under given orders approved by the high court. Now Tanan, are you going to show us to your exiles or do we have to search the whole building for ourselves?"  
Tanan lowered the forms, folding and sticking them onto the reception's desk.  
"Fine, they're . . ."

Suddenly, somewhere down another corridor opposite to where we were, six gun shots were fired, narrowly whizzing by the officers! The bullets struck the other side of the wall, sending small clouds of plaster into the air. We all now were trying to get out of the open space of the room; I ducked behind the reception table along with Tanan and the receptionist, pistols were drawn.  
"Fuck! It's a hunter, he's in the corridor!"  
The police officers were in a frenzy of panic. I couldn't get a clear view down the corridor where the shooter was, I was still busy in trying to keep my head, literally. Other hunters from the main floor now had their weapons drawn and were crouching behind some of the office desks, some hiding as close as the door leading into this room.  
"What the hell are you playing at Tanan?!"  
"I'm not doing anything!"  
The female police officer I could hear was on the radio for some backup to deal with this, terrorist. They said it was a hunter that fired the shots, which could only mean I was right, there definitely was an insider in HEA! One of the hunters hiding by the door decided to brave his way in, weapon poised.  
"Stand down hunter, drop your weapon now!"  
All of a sudden, a concussive shockwave slammed into the reception's desk. The sound was deafening, sending my ears ringing. Everything was a blur, I could distinctly hear the sound of stone and glass crumbling around me and the emergency fire alarm ringing away. A plume of dust started to roll by. What the hell was going on?! It was as if everything around me had decided to commit itself to madness and chaos!

Eventually after a few moments of laying in wait to try and clear my ears, I decided to try looking over the desk to see what had happened to the police officers. As much as we were fortunate to avoid the brunt of the blast, the same couldn't be said for the motionless bodies which lay on the floor; shrapnel was protruding from their backs. Looking further afield over the bodies, I saw what once was the far wall, now was completely open to the outside street. About where the stairs were was where the explosion took place, a bomb no doubt. As I tried to take a breath in from the horrific scene, dust caught my throat, coursing me to cough badly. From each loss of air, I tried to get more air, but it only made my cough get worse as I was breathing in more dust. I have to get out of this room. I stumbled out of the room, followed by Tanan who was helping to handle the young receptionist out from under the table back into the hunter's floor. As we entered, everyone around me was all over the place, some were cursing, and some were running to others places to escape what transpired. Nina though wasn't one of them who came to me to ask what had happened. But before I could get into any detail, I heard a loud groan behind me; it was from the hunter that decided to brave his way into the lobby earlier. He was gripping his head, blood running down his face. Tanan went back in to quickly try and drag the surviving hunter out, but to little success as he started to scream in pain from being moved.  
"Damn it, someone get a stretcher!" Tanan shouted.

There were cops that were now dead. Whoever it was that must've organised this, they didn't seem to care about the casualties they may have inflicted on their own side. I doubt the entirety of the police would be in the know about the true intentions for coming over here, or maybe no one even knows, and it's all just orders from somewhere else.  
"Kyu, whatever is going on here, make sure the exiles don't escape, we can't have them loose!"  
"Yes sir!"  
I side stepped Nina and started to dodge my way through the hunters which were passing by me. A thought crossed my mind about the rogue shooter. With the many hunters that were leaving, any one of them could've been the shooter escaping. But what if he's still here, he took shots against six people in the lobby, he might try again with everyone else, distracted by the bomb. I kept a wary eye out over the hunters that were passing me by, even for the short distance I had to cover to get back to the interview rooms. I passed by each of the doors, taking time to peer through the glazed glass of each door. Everyone was accounted for, by the time I had come around to room 6 again. I went inside; LenZ was just off to the side of the door with his back against the wall. I flinched, as LenZ looked as though he was about to jump whoever it was that entered the room.  
"Oh, it's just you," LenZ said, breathing a sigh of relief.  
I shut the door.  
"What's going on out there?" He asked.  
"Somebody tried to shoot some police officers in the lobby, then a bomb went off just outside."  
LenZ took a look around the room as he continued to collect himself.  
"Are we still safe here?"  
"I don't know, the shooter, who was a hunter, he might still be hanging around here."  
". . . If it's a hunter, you know what that means right?"  
"Yeah, I know."  
"Are the others still in their rooms?"  
"Yes."

LenZ and I were now doing door duty, as we both peered out to see if anyone was going to come round that might threaten us. Minutes passed, and the ringing alarms were finally shut off. Somewhere outside, I could hear a helicopter in flight above the place.  
"What's that noise?" LenZ asked.  
"Just a helicopter."  
LenZ looked at me quizzically.  
"It's a, vehicle, people use to fly in," I explained.  
"Oh."  
The sound continued to persist, and not just persist, but it also got louder, the heli might be trying to land. But the sound of the rotors eventually settled out, showing no sign of slowing down, when all of a sudden, a new sound came. I could faintly hear over the helicopter's noise the sound of smashing glass, then gun fire! But this time, there was more than just one gun firing, and not just as pistols but automatics! I could see hunters retreating down our corridor. Among them was Nina. I open the door a crack and shouted out to her to take cover in our room. Nina double backed and came inside; I slammed the door shut again.  
"What the fuck is happening?!" I shouted, trying to keep my voice up over the ever present helicopter and fighting.  
"The police, they flew over and came in on lines, they went through our windows and just started shooting us!" Nina said shouting back.  
My eyes widened in shock, did I just hear right?


	14. Hunted

-Hunted-

We all stayed low in the room, thoughts were madly racing through my mind, as shots continued to ricochet outside. Was this all really happening, with the police? Was the conspiracy true? I was stunted with disbelief as I tried to pull my thoughts together, towards some kind of reason for this chaos. But before I could make sense of anything, a bullet smashed through the door's window, sprinkling glass all over us. Now's not the time Kyu, we have to get out of here first! I leant slightly upwards towards the smashed pane; I let loose a few shots into the hallway.  
"We have to go, now!" I shouted.  
"The others!" LenZ said, shouting back, "we can't leave them!"  
"No."  
"What?"  
"I said no! I'm not sticking around to get killed, and neither are you, you're coming with me!"  
If I wanted answers, I'll need him, he's probably the most important piece of evidence in all this. He, as well as his friends, are the ones who wrought this upon us, so it only makes sense that LenZ helps to sort his own mess out in the first place.  
"I'm not going anywhere Kyu, I want them safe!"  
. . . LenZ, and his own mess huh?

" * * * "

I was becoming increasingly desperate, I left behind my friends at the warehouse once before, I really don't want to go through deserting them again. We could use the metallic made table, as a shiftable barrier against the hail of bullets coming down the hallway, then we can grab each person out of each room, for them to crawl back down to the other end of the hall. I tried to explain my plan despite being continually interrupted by Kyu and the police taking shots at one another. Eventually I had her attention again.  
"LenZ, if I have to tear those piercings out for you to follow, I'll do it, so shut the hell up and do as I say!"  
"I can do it," said Nina, "we can use the table as cover for you two to escape, I can stay behind to hold them off and get the others out."  
"No way, you can't do that!"  
Nina gave me a very brief sympathetic glance, before she crawled over to the table to tip it over, it's rectangular shape pointed upwards at its highest, enough for a person to stand behind. She started to move the table.  
"No time to argue! exclaimed Nina.  
Kyu, despite having a look of reluctance, came by to help heave the table. I joined in also, to eventually place the table right by the door.  
"Ok, we go out on 3?" Kyu asked.  
Nina nodded. Kyu put her hand on the door knob.  
"1 . . . 2 . . . 3!"

At that moment, Kyu swung the door open and Nina and I then pushed the table into the hallway. Some bullets rang loudly off the table, but its thickness held against the bullets quite well. We were all out now, jammed behind the upstanding table. All of a sudden, Kyu grabbed my left wrist hard, and twisted it, forcing me to follow her as we crouched our way away. I gripped her hand which was latched onto me as I tried to resist, but she held firm.  
"LenZ I'll get them out, I promise," Nina called back.  
Knowing who Nina really was and the dire circumstances we were in, I had to trust her. A part of me had been yelling to escape the danger, but another part was telling me to stay behind and help the others. But now that I think about it, their best chance of survival was with Nina, and I doubt I could do any better than a trained hunter who also possessed the same will to help my friends out. Kyu with her ever forceful tugs, I soon allowed to just drag me away.  
"Nina, meet us at the warehouses!" Kyu called to Nina.  
"Which one?"  
"You'll know which one!"  
If I had to guess, I think it was the Tenmenon warehouse she was secretly referring to, secretly so the shooting police wouldn't guess where we were going."  
"Alright I will, get going, I'll meet you there!"  
Nina turned back to the fight once more, beginning to push the table down towards an adjacent interview room's door. Soon though, as I rounded the corner with Kyu guiding me, I lost sight of Nina. Please be safe.

"Whatever happens, don't you dare try to run off," said Kyu.  
"I won't".  
We passed the staircase that led down into the cells; I could hear some of the prisoners going berserk. By the sounds of it, Kraun was too. We didn't bother stopping by, instead we continued past into another section of the headquarters I hadn't previously seen before. We passed by a few more desks and boxes, filled with paper and files. With some distance covered, the fight sounded somewhat distant, if only a little. We eventually stopped moving again when we hit an iron door, which had in big font written upon it, "ARMOURY". Kyu still tightly held onto my wrist, as she slipped her gun back to then grab out of her pocket, a keycard, slipping it into the door's locking device, before she hit a few buttons on a small panel below. The door clunked open, Kyu yanked me inside. I could only guess this was where the hunters kept their arsenal of hunting equipment.  
"Put this on," Kyu said, as she threw something I couldn't quite see at me.  
I caught it, without knowing what it was that I caught. Then I realised what this was.  
"The kidnapper's cloaks?"  
"PMC's, put it on, the black part you wear on the inside!"  
I unfurled the fabric, it rolled out into a large pile on the floor. Quickly though, I managed to get the blanket of invisibility over me with not to much difficulty, the black slippery side of the cloak now in my face, with something hard was on my head. Only trouble was, I couldn't see a thing outside of this cloak. I tried to fiddle with it over the next few moments. Eventually Kyu's hands soon came to help adjust the cloak. Shifting into view was a slit in the cloak that I could see out, and the hard material on my head seemed to slide on and fit properly, keeping the cloak from sliding around any further. I also was now able to find some arm holes, small as they were, which tightly slid up my arms.  
"Ok good, you're tall enough," said Kyu, as she was slipping a belt of magazines under an invisibility cloak she was also wearing, "we'll get to a van, then we can get . . ."  
She stopped abruptly; someone was coming! Heavy clad footsteps were rushing down the corridor outside, they were going to pass by the armoury at any second. Kyu and I both ducked behind the door, backed into the weapon lockers. The footsteps were slowing down as they reached this room. It was a suited police person who had decided to peek in to search for us, he came into my line of sight, right next to me and the door! But he hadn't spotted me yet, even from so close. The cloaks were certainly working.

And it was at that moment Kyu leapt into action, as she shunted the door right in his face. It sent him stumbling into the wall hard, but still, he was trying to aim his rifle back at Kyu! But she was fast, grabbing the barrel of the gun with her right to keep at bay, and punching the police person in the throat with her left. He crumpled part-way down the wall, wheezing, while Kyu delivered some swift fists to his head. He finally slid down the wall, falling unconscious.  
"We have to go, come on," urged Kyu.  
With some hesitation after seeing a hunter take down police like that, I quickly forced myself to follow again. We came back out into the hallway again. We spotted more police who were encroaching their way down towards us. We were in their direct line of sight, but they didn't appear to spot us immediately. So without further hesitation to avoid being dropped first, Kyu pulled out her pistol, through must've been a concealed cloak seam, and let of a volley of shots! We both backed against ourselves against the wall, to avoid any bullets that might come back at us through the centre of the hallway. But the police were fortunately more preoccupied with ducking low, behind anything they could hide behind, as Kyu's shots merely hit the ceiling. Kyu started to push me along, urging me to start running along with her again. We ran as fast we could to escape the armed police. Losing them by taking a right, then two lefts, and then a final right, we came to a red door, with letters in white reading, "Fire Escape". Kyu pushed the bar of the door in, leading us into a narrow stairwell area.  
"Downstairs, someone's downstairs!"  
Shouting came from above; I looked up to see heads peering down at where we were! I quickly moved to the other side of the stairwell, right next to another door, with a glowing sign above reading, "Exit". Kyu slowly opened the door, rays of bright light came in to light our small space. It was cloudy outside; air was breezing by me through the door. But it certainly wasn't time to enjoy the moment of fresh air; I could hear the echoing clamber of feet heading down the stairs from above. Kyu paid heed to the noise, as we hurried outside.

Once out, we were standing on what appeared to be one of several metal platforms, with steep steps, leading off to a floor above us, and to the ground a shorter way below. All of which, situated within a wide alley. With both hands, we quickly slid down to the ground in fast bounds on the steps. We made our way out onto the main street again, turning right, running away from the mess of parked police vehicles behind us, lights flashing everywhere. Following along a short, barbed wired, brick wall, we came by a small portal as part of a larger gate that we could pass through. Kyu pressed a fairly long sequence of buttons on a nearby pad, to allow the door to click open. Once on the other side, we were now in what looked to be a vehicle storage area; there were many HEA vans about the area. Kyu went straight for the nearest van, taking out a keycard again, and swiping it through the door's lock.  
"Get in!"  
I climbed inside, and sat in front of a wheel.  
"Shove over, I'm driving."  
She pushed me over onto the next seat. Kyu settled herself, throwing off the cloak and clicking her seatbelt in place. I kept my cloak on, despite having a narrowed view of the world, it still felt that little bit safer with it on. Kyu hit a button on the board behind the wheel, the van coming into life with a rumble. She then started to fiddle with a few other things by her seat, pulling two levers, one up, one down, and pressing another button, which seemed to trigger the gate we came in earlier to fully open. The vehicle was slowly coming into motion.  
_Pang, pang!_  
I ducked below the windows, something was hitting the van! I couldn't see, but if I had to guess, someone was shooting us! The van quickly jerked into motion, and next thing I knew, I was being forced into the van door on the left, as Kyu rapidly was turning the vehicle right. She shouted in panic as we bounced up and down while exiting area. The bullet hits receded, everything was smoothing out as we continued to gain more speed. I peered up and out of the windows. We were on the main road, we had escaped.

I got up and seated myself properly with the seatbelt on. My adrenaline was still going as I tried to calm myself from the close encounters.  
"We made it," I managed to breath out.  
"No, not yet," Kyu exclaimed, peering at one of the side mirrors.  
I looked behind with my mirror. As we were beginning to encounter more vehicles in our way, three police cars had started to give chase, sirens and lights all going. At the next intersection, Kyu slowed to hard right, melding roughly into more traffic. The police drew closer behind us.  
"Shit, Kyu cursed, "what the fuck do they want from us?"  
"They want us because of the kid . . ."  
"Yeah, I get it!"  
At this point, the traffic became too problematic to remain at a high speed, forcing Kyu to drive onto the sidewalk to keep our distance with the police. We knocked out of the way a few bins, garbage spilling everywhere. A few pedestrians dived out of the way as we came hurtling by. Eventually we came driving off the sidewalk by another intersection to brake to our left. Though the turn was sharp with the screeching brakes going, we side swiped a car, which was what kept us on the road.  
"Damn it!"  
"You driven before?"  
"Yes just shut up!"

We continued down the road, faster as we moved away from the heavier traffic. The small detour through the bins bought us some extra distance from the police. As we turned another right, I saw reflected in one of the van's mirror's the police at our last turn. I kept watching the mirrors as we continued our way; the police over time gaining distance and losing it all the same. Though this was to be a recurring pattern over the next many minutes. In spite of that, I was slowly feeling more apprehension towards how this chase was going to end; for better or for worse? I turned my attention back to the front again, scanning everything that was rushing by through my slit of the outside world. By the looks, we must be approaching the lower city; a familiar untidy spread of buildings was looming.  
"Wait, LenZ, switch on the radio, red button," Kyu quickly said, gesturing to the assortment of buttons in front of me. I traced a finger over the buttons, and eventually found the red button Kyu was referring too.  
"I should've thought of this sooner, they're police, they'll be using the radio to coordinate the chase."  
I hit the button, at first there was some indiscernible noise, but Kyu quickly reached over to adjust some of the dials.  
"1, 5 . . . 7 point . . . 4."  
We waited, hoping someone would start talking over the radio, giving us a few hints about how to escape. After a minute, nothing.  
"They must've switched frequencies to a private one," said Kyu.  
Meanwhile outside, something caught my eye. To the left on the sidewalk, I spotted two police people, holding something in their hands.  
"Kyu!" I exclaimed, pointing.  
"Spikes!"  
She swerved the van to the right, into traffic that was coming straight for us. The police on the side rolled out something across the road, which covered most of the road we were just on. After narrowly dodging an incoming car, Kyu turned back onto the left side of the road again, once past the police.

"Spikes?"  
"Yes, spike strips, they blow up tires."  
I peeked back at what we missed through the mirror. Then I turned my attention back to the radio when I started to hear static build.  
"Dispatch, be advised, roadblocks have been set, over lower-to-middle city junctions 2, and 3, awaiting further, Anna out."  
"Crap, I'll have to go elsewhere, to 6 at least. They must plan to block off lower from middle city completely."  
That last bit, and that voice, it seemed off somehow. Anna is a girl's name, yet there was someone who was going by that name on the radio, that most certainly sounded like a guy. Wait, Anna, that was the false name Nina gave me, back when I was trying to sneak into middle city! Could it be?  
"Officer who was just relaying to dispatch, we're not currently operating on this frequency, please check your channels at once."  
"Errr, roger will do."  
". . . Officer, can you supply me with your coms ID?"  
Silence fell over the radio for a time.  
"Can you give me your coms ID, how copy?"  
No response came. It must be Smith, or perhaps someone else from the Demo's. It could be possible for them to get onto our channel, I did see Smith having that large radio setup in the safe house I was last at. Though how would they know about the chase so soon? Did Nina manage to get in touch with them? In my thoughts, I came back to focus on the fact that the police pursuing us, had now caught up to us quite closely. They only were about 10 metres or so away. They started to shoot at our van, bullets pinging off the back. I could see with Kyu's mirror, one of the police cars shifting to our right. Kyu shifted the van right to block the car's path.  
"Hold on!" Kyu said as she hit the brakes suddenly.  
I was jerked forward, with little time to react in putting my arms out to brace myself. Then the next thing I knew, I was shunted back into my seat, as the van gained a bit extra of speed, from the closely following police car, ploughing into our rear. A vibrating shock could be felt through the van, as metal was loudly crunched. Kyu then put her foot down to speed away once more.

I peered out at my mirror to try to see how much damage we did. We were quickly leaving behind a police car which had its front completely mangled, drifting off to the left, getting in the way of the other pursuers. They were forced to slow down as they tried to avoid the damaged car. While the confusion was happening, Kyu then pulled into a narrow side street, leaving the sight of the police. And by the looks, after a minute or two, it looked like we left them for good, their sirens sounding ever so distant. Kyu stared out of her windows, looking upwards toward the sky.  
"Thank goodness that helicopter back at HEA isn't following us, must be stuck there trying to deal with . . . us, hunters."  
Things must still be settling in for Kyu, as she only muttered the last two words. We approached the lower-to-middle city junction number 6, no block had been set up on, as per what the radio was eluding too previously. The weather above, changed to start raining.  
"Kyu," I began, "for what it's . . ."  
But out of nowhere I was interrupted by an explosion in the centre of the road, debris flying everywhere, some of it smashing into van's glass. It all managed to hold against the barrage, but visibility out now was a problem with the window so badly cracked. We were jolted badly in our seats as we ran straight over the new hole in the road, sending the van almost of control. Kyu luckily managed to hold onto the wheel, shouting, as we passed from middle city, down to the lower through the junction.  
"What the?" I exclaimed.  
"A fucking drone?! How is it down here?!" Kyu shouted.  
Perhaps the helicopter wasn't watching us, but it would seem a drone was, if it managed to follow us this far. My side of the van had lost its mirror from the explosion, which must've been a shot of some kind fired by the drone. A new noise was sounding, a deep sounding hum. I poked my head out to see for myself what the drone was. It was directly above us, and from what I could see, it had four rotary engines positioned evenly that was making the sound. It had a small turret mounted on the underside of a sharp looking, metal casing, the drone's main body. It continued to follow as we turned onto a narrower street, hovering at a constant speed over us. Its turret pointed down, it started firing rapidly down upon us. I ducked my head back inside, sliding low back into my seat. I turned to Kyu, her teeth gritted, and face furrowed in frustration.

We made many turns in our attempt to evade the drone, but it held fast to our routes, all the while continuing to shoot. The van all of sudden was rocked by something loud blowing up.  
"What was that?"  
"Must be a tire!"  
Tires started to squeal, continuing to squeal as we struggled to keep speed. We were getting into the more run down areas of the city, which had a few blanket and roof over hangs about the place.  
"LenZ, lift your cloak up."  
I did as she asked, hopefully she was having the same idea I was, about how to hide from the drone. We were starting to slow down as we were passing underneath the cover, Kyu quickly unbuckled her seatbelt and stood up to kneel over the top of my seat. Reaching over, she unlatched and opened my door!  
"Hang on!"  
Kyu ducked her head under my cloak and undid my seatbelt. She put her arms around me and with a push, we both tumbled out of the moving van, hitting the road with my left shoulder! We rolled for a few moments before we came to a complete stop on the road, which left my head in a spin. The world felt upside down after that crazy move Kyu pulled. At least it wasn't a move that was leaving me cut all over, the cloaked helped to greatly cushion the fall. Though I still felt bruised; my tail didn't fair so well whip lashing around. I tried to ignore the pain as I was more concerned with what had happened to the drone. Kyu by my side, got to her feet first.  
"Come on, get up, we can't stay here."  
She heaved me up. I looked down at my cloak; it was partly torn. Looking up for the drone, I couldn't see it from where we were beneath the blankets, but I could hear it moving away, still following the runaway van, as a distraction. Meanwhile, around us, I was only just beginning to notice the people that were watching the whole stunt. We were certainly drawing too much attention.

Steadying myself, I started to walk and then jog away from the scene with Kyu in the lead, heading down one of the side alleys, to escape the growing crowd of curious onlookers. We weaved our way through the streets and puddles, ever watchful for if the drone was still following us somehow. Thankfully it wasn't, it had lost our path and was now trying to search for us, as we could see just over the roof tops. We stopped after arriving in a third alleyway, trying to take in some air, tired and with my adrenaline running short.  
"Ditch the cloak. If they see me running, they'll spot you too, it'll look very odd."  
"Well, you have anything in mind for getting my tail and fur through?"  
"Yes, turn around."  
I threw off the cloak, feeling the chilly cold air and rain on my face again. Facing away from Kyu, she stuck something to my back.  
"Same as last time, just follow my lead."  
She clasped both my hands behind my back, and continued to nudge me with what I guessed was her weapon, as we continued to make our way out of the alley. Passing by any other citizen within the area, Kyu would simply pass me off as an exile, which she as a hunter, had caught recently. Between Kyu and I, we stayed silent, all the way up to when we were arriving in the vicinity of the warehouse, where we were going to stay and wait for Nina. I could guess we were close judging by the very Tenmenon River we were walking by. And sure enough, coming into sight was the open ground, leading up to the long warehouse, looking completely different in the daylight.  
"There isn't anyone else here?" I queried.  
"This is a storage warehouse, not exactly much work comes with just watching boxes."  
We were right up next to the building, passing by a metal door with a security pad.  
"They've changed the codes after you guys broke in, we'll have to get in through that window," said Kyu gesturing towards the boarded up window, which if I had to guess, was the very one I smashed open to make an escape.

We came up to the nailed wood planks, which had only been nailed in loosely given the warehouse's brick and masonry. This made prying one plank off easy, allowing Kyu to hop onto the window seal to slip inside. I followed, taking care not to step on any loose glass that remained poking up. I hopped inside the warehouse out of the heavy rain. The setting of this place looked all too familiar, in many ways that I would rather forget. Oh the terrible memories I have of that night, being back, it all seemed . . .  
"Gah!" I cried in pain, something had smacked me hard in the back of my head!  
I was sent tumbling to the ground, face first. I tried to get back up to whoever it was that hit me. Was there somebody else already here waiting for us? As I was trying to get to my paws, I received a kick in the ribs just before I could stand, which sent me rolling onto my back. Facing upwards, to sight Kyu, she was standing over me, fists balled, and with a face of complete rage, within the dim of the warehouse.  
"Now, you're going to start from the beginning, and this time, it'll be the truth!"


End file.
